Brighter
by justagirl520
Summary: The Volturi are going to go against ever thing they stand for. They are going to try to aqquire every gifted vampire and get rid of the rest," Alice said in a flat, detached voice. Alice was here physically but her eyes were seeing something else.
1. Italy

I walked furiously down my dreary town's main street. None of them understand! I can't have any friends outside my family, I can't go anywhere by myself, and my dad is invading me of all possible privacy by reading my mind!

"Renesmee?"

I jumped up, startled. "Don't do that! God, why can't you all just leave me alone! You're so overprotective!"

My father looked down at me with saddened eyes, and I immediately regretted what I had said.

"I'm your father and your my daughter. You're moody. I'm protective. I'm pretty sure thats how it works," he replied with a small smile but I knew I hurt his feelings.

"Sorry," I mouthed.

He offered me his hand and I took it. We walked down the road in silence. It was nice just being alone with my dad. I thought randomly of how we must look to other people, like brother and sister or even boyfriend and girlfriend (ick!). We walked until he noticed I was getting tired and it was already half past eight. We had been walking for two hours.

On our way back we saw a big black van that seemed to be following us. I wasn't scared (Why would I be? I've got my freaking overprotective vampire father!) but i still held his hands tighter.

Almost all my weight was leaning on his side when he lifted me up and set me down to wake me up.

"What?" I was annoyed that he woke me up.

"That van is still following us."

"So?" he woke me up for this?

"I can't read their minds."

"You think their vampires?" I was more awake now.

"Maybe and if they are they have a talented shield like your mother," he said in that serious way that had always scared me.

"They don't speed to?" I said to lighten the mood.

He laughed his loud booming laugh that always made me smile.

Dad looked behind him and the van slowed to a stop. His eyes widened and I touched his arm to let him know I was scared. He turned around and whispered to me "Whatever happens when I tell you to run, you better run."

I nodded solemnly. It's not like I actually had to do _exactly_ what he said.

My dad turned around and looked right at me. Oops.

"Renesmee, I mean it," he said sternly.

"Okay!"

"Hush."

Dad turned around to face the figures now getting out of the black van, but it was too dark to see any of there faces.

I hid behind a nearby bush and listened to the conversation that I could just barely make out.

"Edward! Funny seeing you here," said a high, reedy voice said.

"Not so funny considering you were stalking my daughter and I for the past few hours."

"Speaking of, where did the little one go?" the high voice replied casually.

"She ran to a friends. I saw no reason for her to be involved in this, Jane," my dad lied so smoothly. I guess that gene skipped me.

" You can't hide her from us forever, Edward," the one called Jane said now in a unpleasant snake-like voice, "You of all people should no that. Demetri is here and we know she's close. If you tell us where she is we won't hurt you, or your Bella, or your precious _family_," she said the last word as if there was something disgusting about it.

But why would she want me? I wasn't nearly as strong or talented then anyone else in my family. What could they (Whoever they _were._) need me for? And how did this Demetri know where i was.

My father still hadn't replied and Jane was getting testy.

"Edward, we will ask you one more time. Where. Is. She.?"

Dad sunk to the ground and it made my stomach hurt. He yelled now, and I felt tears in my eyes. I couldn't bare to watch anymore.

I was sobbing now, "STOP, just stop!"

"Nessie, run!" but I couldn't leave him like this. I stepped out of the bushes and ran to my father and helped him up. Obviously that witch had stopped whatever she was doing. "You leave us alone! Leave. Us. ALONE," I was suddenly shocked by the fierceness of my voice.

I clung to my father as he grimaced again. Two men came from behind Jane and grabbed my father by both of his shoulders. I held onto his waste until the taller of the men kicked me in the ribs. My father thrashed but he just wasn't strong enough. I sunk back to the ground and held my arms across my ribs. I felt so weak. I bit my lip hard to keep myself from crying. I held tight to the little locket that was wrapped around my neck. When Jane finally took her eyes off my father she smiled as if it was the happiest day of her life. Maybe it was.

"Why are you doing this?!" I screamed at the monster who was destroying my life in minutes. "Who are you," I whispered.

"Aw. You don't remember me Nessie?" she said just to taunt me she crouched down and brushed my hair away from my face. I could see her face now she was tiny, even smaller than my 4'11 with maroon eyes and dark hair.

"DON'T TOUCH ME AND DON'T CALL ME THAT!" I didn't care if any humans heard me I just wanted to rewind the day and had told my family I loved them instead have yelled at them and hurting them. I breathed and answered her question as calmly as I could, "And now that I think about it, yes I do I remember you. You were with the group that was against my family and friends when they were protecting me. I remember your leader much more though..."

"Is that so?" Jane said in a sickly sweet voice, "Tell me _Renesmee, _how long has it been?"

I hated answering to her but it seemed to be my only option,"Seven years."

"But you look so much older!"

"I grow twice as fast as an average human child."

"I am done with my questions for now-"

"Oh?"

"I wasn't finished. And you need to get up and get in the van."

"I really would rather be with my father in that creepy van than out here alone with you, but that jerk broke one of my freaking ribs so I can't," I said bluntly.

"That's fine I'll carry you."

When hell freezes over.

"I'd much rather my father help me."

"Do you think its wise for you to test me-"

_CRASH_

The vans side was completely smashed out.

My dad jumped out scooped me up then looked at Jane. He was careful not to touch wear my rib was broken. Three other vans pulled up exactly like the one dad had just totaled. Just when we thought we were safe...

Luckily the vampires in the next vans were much more equitable. There were also many more and we saw no reason to put up a fight that we would surly lose. I sat with my dad in the back of the van for a long time. Some where along the way I fell asleep. I dreamt that I was home in my safe, warm room with my whole family... and when I woke up the searing pain of my broken rib was still there. It only took me a second to realize that we were on a plane. I wondered why my dad didn't get us away from these people when we were in the airport. He comforted me saying everything would be all right and we were only visiting. I was going to say, "Then why did you fight them every step of the way," but I didn't want to be mean, especially in this situation.

He must have read my mind because he sighed and said, "Really Renesmee, we _will_ be fine."

"Why didn't Alice see this coming?"

"I was just wondering the same thing, but it's nearly midnight and that flight attendant is going to be very angry if we're not quiet. Go back to sleep."

I mumbled something like, "Why don't you?" and he smiled a little. I laid my head on the cool, familiar safety of his shoulder and drifted off to sleep.

It was dark when I woke up. Dad had been carrying me. "Where are we?"

"Shh. Underground," my father replied quietly, somberly.

"Okay. Where underground?" I whispered.

"Italy."

"Sure, sure," I said and the familiar saying brought tears to my eyes. The last time I saw Jacob could have been the last time. I could tell in his eyes that it had disheartened my dad a bit even though jake never was his favorite person. He looked down at me with a sad smile as he held me close as if I were I a small child. I winced as the pain in my rib increased.

_"Will we ever see them again," _I asked him silently.

I knew he heard me but he didn't answer me.

_"Why are we in Italy?"_

"This is where the Volturi live. Do you remember them? You were just a baby but..." he whispered almost inaudibly.

_"No I remember", _I mentally replied.

Eventually we got to a big beautiful dimly lit room with pictures on the walls. Two massive male vampires held onto my father to be sure he didn't try anything. Another vampire held my wrists. I wasn't nearly as strong so there was no need to take precautions. I thought about how glad I was that the pain in my rib cage.

Thank god I heal quickly. My rib was completely healthy by now. I fidgeted impatiently for the head vampire to apear. I don't know why I could have possibly remembered this man as polite. He was the reason my dad and I weren't safe at home with my family.

_"What are we waiting for?"_ I asked my dad by touching his wrist.

"Their leader, Aro."

_"Where are we? What is this room for?"_

My father cringed. I knew he didn't really want to tell me but he did anyway. "The feeding room."

Oh. My stomach twisted as I thought about how many innocent people had been killed here. Why did I have to ask?

Finally a dark haired man walked through the double doors. As soon as he set eyes my dad and I a grin spread across his face. Two other men followed him.

"Who new it would be this easy? We would have down this ages ago. Goodness knows we probably could have gotten all nine..." the man, Aro, I figured, kept rambling. It was as if he thought there was someone actually listening, "And darling little Renesmee is here, too. We were meaning to checkup on you soon but I guess now we won't have to." He said everything kindly.

"Can she still show people her thoughts, Edward." He acted as if I couldn't answer the question myself. I was glad though, that he didn't direct any questions toward me.

"Yes she can," dad said in a rude tone I've never heard him use before.

"May I-"

"Ask _her._"

"Renesmee, please give me your hand."

I didn't know whether to refuse or not. I stared at a painting instead.

"Renesmee," my dad said, probably to make sure I hadn't fallen asleep or something .

I guess it had to be safe. The man behind me loosened his grip on me and I gave Aro my hand.

This I remembered. I put my hand in his chalky skin and began to read my mind. (Or my feelings. I really didn't no.)

"Such an Interesting little girl you have, Edward. Very complex," Aro mused, "And Renesmee, you need not fear us. We merely want you to use your full potential."

"And kidnapping me would help you how?" I said in the exact tone my father had used.

"Oh beautiful child, We don't want you to be upset. We just think you would be more progressive in this environment. You would never have to move, or go to that school ever again. Renesmee, you are the brighter than any child I have ever met, and I know you wouldn't dare pass up an opportunity like this."

My fathers eyes stayed locked on me.


	2. Compelled

I don't know how I could possibly have felt compelled to join Aro, but I did. Dad stared at me with eyes that questioned my sanity. Then the idea, which at the moment I thought was flawless entered my mind. Dad's eyes widened as I knew they would. He would never agree to leave here without me, but the Volturi would give him no choice.

"No, Renesmee!" he said.

I said my words carefully,"If you let my father go, and never try to hurt my family again, for anything, I will join you."

My eyes began to water as I looked into my father's. I closed my eyes saw my family smiling at me. There were little memories that floated in my mind, like when uncles chased me in the back yard of my first home, my aunts fussing over what I should wear, and my grandparents constantly worrying about me. I began to think of my mother kissing me good night, Jacob trying to outrun me as we raced in the woods with my mom, and my father staying in my room the whole night just to make sure I didn't have nightmares.

"Wonderful!" Aro interrupted my thoughts. I opened my eyes and it appeared the man was about to start jumping up and down in delight.

What have I done?

"Nessie, don't do this. Especially not for me," my father almost growled.

"No this is my decision and I just want to be able to keep you safe," I whispered back.

"You know damn well that I'm safe."

"I hate to ruin the moment, but we need to get back to subject," Jane said said in an antagonizing voice.

Dad and I glared at her menacingly.

"Jane, let them have this. There is no need to be cruel. This may be the last time Edward sees his daughter," Aro said sadly. As if he really cared.

Aro snapped his fingers and the guard that held my father released him. I blinked and my father was embracing me. I held him tight as he kissed my forehead and ran his fingers through my long brown hair.

He wiped the tear that had began to run down my cheek.

"Don't worry. We'll see you again," he said quietly trying to convince himself more than me.

I nodded because I didn't think I could speak without sobbing.

Aro snapped his fingers again and one man grabbed my father and led him out the doors. Dad jerked away from him and kept walking forward.

One of the two men, the one with whitish hair, that had followed Aro began to speak, "Aro, do you think it was wise to agree to have one Cullen, that isn't evan a full vampire, for the price of eight?"

"Caius, one is always better than none," Aro replied in a collected tone.

Aro turned to face me and said, "Renesme, you have no need to be afraid. We will not hurt you. It is an honor to be part of the Volturi."

"I-I understand," I stuttered quietly.

"But she _sleeps_ Aro," Jane said disgustedly.

_What the hell is wrong with sleeping?! God, these people piss me off._

"How would you know, Jane, dare I ask?" Aro replied.

"I'm sorry to but in, but what is wrong with being able to sleep? My dad said he _wishes_ he could sleep especially when we're at school and I-" I stopped talking because I knew I sounded like some idiot teenager and everyone was staring at me.

"There is nothing wrong my dear, it's just the fact that we don't, and Jane doesn't take to people who are different very well..."

_Oh thats great, psychopath crazed maniac girl doesn't like me._

"Oh that's okay, lots of people don't like me," I bit my lip. _Smooth Ness. Real smooth. _

"I really doubt that, but you must be getting tired," Aro said kindly.

"Yes I am," I replied.

TWO WEEKS LATER

I had grown accustomed to the Volturi's lifestyle. I had refused to drink human blood with them, thinking of my grandfather, so once every few days one of the Volturi would follow me as I went hunting. They stood close to me watching in disgust, as if _I_ were the disgusting one. Aro had a bedroom made for me. I was thankful for that. What I wasn't thankful for was the hideous grey-ish cloak they made me wear. There was also one other human there, Giana. She was the Volturi's receptionist. She was kind, but there was something about her I didn't like.

We travelled to places I've never heard of, but I usually stood on the side lines while Aro, Caius, and Marcus, had other members of the Volturi check on problems that seemed very stupid and insignificant to me. I usually stayed in Volterra. I was bored of not being able to go outside or interact with _other_ people.

Most of the time I thought of my family and Jake, even though I tried not to. It was too depressing knowing they had not come for me yet. I thought they would be here not a day after my father left, but I had been utterly wrong. Again.

EDWARD'S POV

I held my face in my hands as I listened to what Rosalie had been saying in her head for the past two weeks.

_How could you have let this happen Edward? How is it possible that you just let your daughter go!_

"Rosalie we will get her back, I guarantee you that," I replied in a voice that had obviously scared her enough to go back into the kitchen, where she spoke quietly with Alice.

Bella sat by me on the couch and put her hand on mine. "Don't listen to what Rose thinks. We all know it isn't your fault. Carlisle and Esme are looking for Vladimir and Stefan as we speak. And you should know, as much as we all hate to admit it, Renesmee is safe with the Volturi."

"What makes you so sure they'll help us?" I asked referring to the Romanian coven.

" 'Cause Alice said so, and because Vladimir and Stefan won't pass up the chance to try and destroy the Volturi," Bella said smiling, as if it were that simple.

I sighed as I thought of my daughter.

Bella tried to revive me by speaking of times when Renesmee had been unbearably adorable, like when she was six she said,"Can I be a vampire for Halloween, daddy? Or would it be too obvious?"

But she was only making it worse.

Emmett, Alice, Jasper, and Rosalie walked in the living room hesitantly, as if they were doing something tremendously dangerous.

"Carlise and Esme will arrive with Vladimir and Stefan in about two hours," Alice said quietly. "Jacob, Seth, and Leah will be here in forty three minutes...they called. Charlie will be calling soon, Bella."

"That's all very interesting, Alice, but that doesn't get my daughter back now does it?" I replied too harshly. Alice's feelings don't get hurt easily but I had definitely hit a nerve.

Alice bit her lip, and ran up the stairs. Jasper gave me a cold look. _Edward, we all miss Renesmee, _he thought before following Alice up the stairs.

Rosalie glared at me and thought_, That was uncalled for, _and she stalked down the hall.

Emmett shrugged and thought, _Don't worry. They'll get over it, _and followed Rose.

Bella stayed with me and kept hold of my hand but said nothing.

The phone rang once before Bella ran upstairs to answer it.

"Hello," Bella said in the "human" voice she used around Charlie.

"Hey, Bells!" Charlie said enthusiastically from the other line.

"What's up?" Bella asked casually.

"Well, it's been a long time since I've seen my granddaughter and I was wondering if there was a day I can come for a visit?"

"Dad, Renesmee's got a bad flu virus that she caught from school and-"

"Is she okay? Is it serious?" Charlie asked instantly worried

"We think she's fine it's just we don't know when she'll be better. I'll have her call you when she is."

Thank goodness Bella had gotten better at lying.

"Can't I talk to her now?"

"She's asleep right now."

"Okay Bella," Charlie said.

"I'll talk to you later, Dad."

"Bye."

And the line went dead.

"Do you think he knew that I lied to him?" Bella asked me with her eyebrows furrowed.

"He sounded like he suspected something, but I wouldn't worry," I told her meekly.

Bella nodded and sat back on the couch. About twenty minutes later Jacob, Seth, and an overly cautious Leah, knocked on the door. Bella and I both stood up and went to get the door.

"Hey," Bella said trying to sound cheery but failed miserably.

"Hi, Bella, Edward," Jacob said wearily.

I just nodded. I had felt awful about not telling Jacob in the first place, and Bella did, too. I had just told them there was an emergency

Seth grinned at me and said,"Hi, Edward!"

"Hi, Seth," I said much less enthusiastically. Seth was one of the kindest people I had ever met, but I really wasn't in the mood for his happy-go-lucky personality.

"Hey, Bella!" He said still smiling.

"Hello, Seth," Bella said with a small smile.

"I thought Leah was coming," I mostly said to Jacob.

"She still prefers to be outside," he said nonchalantly as I gave him a questioning look.

Jacob just shrugged and thought, _If you want to know then go ask her yourself. I try to drown her out. So what's the emergency?_

I just nodded. There was know way that Jacob would take this well, and it was most likely he would take this out on the rest of my family, when I was the only one to blame...And if he hurt Bella...

"Renesmee is in trouble," Bella said determined voice.

"What?" Jacob said quietly as his eyes became deeply troubled.

"The Volturi have Renesmee," I said slowly and carefully.

Jacob began to shake and thought, _Oh, no. Not Nessie. This is why I didn't want to leave her with you bloodsuckers._

"We need your help, Jake," Bella said.

Seth bit his lip and wrinkled his furrowed eyebrow.

Jacob just stood there, shaking violently. After a few minutes Jacob said, "We will help you get her back. I don't care how she could have possibly been taken by them with all you vamps around. I just want to help. What's the plan?"

"Do you remember the romanian coven, Vladimir and Stefan, from a few years ago?"

"Bella, I hope you realize that there were about twenty vampires here and it was more than a few years ago."

"They were the coven that wanted revenge over the Volturi," I said as we walked into the living room.

"Oh, Dracula One and Dracula Two are invited this time? Great," Jacob said with a smirk.

"Carlisle and Esme went to find them. Actually, they should be back anytime now," I replied.

"Ew. I thought I smelled a _DOG_!" Rosalie said disgustedly. "Hi, Seth!" said Rose in a surprisingly kind tone.

"Hi, Rosalie," Seth said hesitantly.

"Hello, dumb-blonde-bloodsucker," Jacob said smugly.

The five of us walked into the kitchen where Emmett, Alice, and Jasper were all sitting at the table. Rosalie glared at Jacob as as she perched lightly on the counter.

"Do you guys have any food? I'm starving!" said Seth.

"Sure Seth," Alice said quietly as she flitted to the cupboard. I wasn't sure if she was angry with me or not. All she was thinking about was what to make for Seth and Jacob.

Bella left my side to help Alice. They quickly had two large cajun chicken breasts baking and a basil soup boiling. It looked repulsive but I'm sure it was pretty good to a human. Alice half smiled at me and thought,_ It's all right, Edward. I'm not upset at all. It's just hard on all of us. I'm don't think you realize how much we all miss Nessie._

Bella had grabbed a third plate that she stared at for what seemed like forever. I nodded as Alice turned away and helped Bella set the "food" on the table.

"Wow, thanks! It looks delicious!" Seth said as Jacob nodded with his mouthful. He had already half cleared his plate. Alice and Bella exchanged a disgusted look as did Jasper and Emmett. I laughed quietly as I watched the distaste on their faces. A few minutes later Carlise, Esme, Vladimir, and Stefan entered through the door.

"Hello," Bella said in a reluctant tone. Bella had never had any preference for the Romanians. She had deemed them a bad influence after they colorfully described to Renesmee how they would rip out the eyes of the Volturi from their sockets, and their pasty-white skin reminded her all too much of the Volturi.

"Hello Bella," Vladimir said politely.

Everyone nodded, probably to skip the awkwardness of having to greet each other.

"So...What the hell are we going to do to get Nessie back?" Jacob said. I was thankful he had asked because I was just wondering the same thing.


	3. Plan

"We're planning on bribing the Volturi's receptionist , Giana. We'll change her in exchange for her help. Carlisle remembers the number needed to reach her so that won't be a problem, and they wouldn't dare bring Renesmee with them after they find out that your family created an immortal child," Vladimir said with a wicked grin.

Stephan nodded in satisfaction as the scheme began to take shape. _We won't be able to defeat them yet, but we can take away from them what they want..._

_Humph. Not bad for a bloodsucker,_ Jacob thought. His "voice" seemed amazed at the simplicity of the tactic, but I sensed that there was much more to come.

RENESMEE'S POV

We sat in the 'feeding room', as my father had once called it, it actually also served as our meeting room, waiting for our masters to join us. _Did I just call them my MASTERS?! God, I need to get out of here..._ There had been some kind of commotion about an anonymous phone call to Giana that had tipped off the Volturi. No one had information about what had been done wrong or who had done it, but there was a rumor it had to do with my family. I highly doubted that my family would ever do anything big enough to cause this much of an uproar, however something inside me told me, "This is them. This is how they're going to save you." But I didn't listen to that voice. There was no need to get my hopes up for nothing, and I didn't have to worry Aro wouldn't hurt them. He promised...right?

I sat next to my...friend, i guess, if you wanna call her that. Her name is Annunziata. She had joined the Volturi six and a half months ago and she's very pretty with reddish hair and a tall skinny frame. Annunziata's also a tracker, not as talented as Demetri, but a tracker nonetheless. Not that it wasn't great to have someone to talk to, it's just that she gets on my last freaking nerve sometimes!

We spoke quietly to each other about what could have happened.

"Maybe it's a army of newborns!" Annunziata said excitedly.

"I won't be able to go anyway," I sighed.

"Well, you should think about that next time you try to sneak out! You should have expected Aro to put you on lockdown mode after what you tried. He's not gonna lose his _only_ Cullen. You're lucky they didn't kill you!"

I rolled my eyes nonchalantly. _Lucky ,indeed! _ This is what annoys me about Ann. She always talks to me like I'm stupid or something.

A few minutes later, Aro, Marcus, and Caius, walked into the room.

"As you all probably know earlier today there was a phone call that had information on an immortal child."

Gasps of shock filled the air as I rolled my eyes. _Surprise, surprise._

"The unknown person had said they had seen the child with the _Cullen_ family," Marcus said in a cruel voice as he stared directly at me.

I struggled to keep my facial expression composed. _Whoever the anonymous caller was, they're lying, _was the first thought in my mind. This wouldn't happen. My family wouldn't, couldn't do this. They never would. Aro should no that!

"You-you can't hurt them," I tried to say evenly and strongly, but it came out with my voice cracking several times. "You promised."

"Times have changed," Aro said softly.

"BUT YOU PROMISED!" I screamed as loud as I could. Aro's expression, however, remained the same.

"I am sorry, dear one. I have made a promise, that I unexpectedly, cannot keep," he said as an grimace crossed his face. It was as if he was embarrassed that he had lied. The fact that a child was screaming at him could have been part of it, though.

"Renesmee, you understand that we must kill whoever changed the child," Caius said with the corners of his mouth turned up.

I shrieked and hissed in a way I remember my parents and aunts and uncles doing when they get pissed. My grandparents have always been to proper to do something like that. Well, at least I don't remember them ever growling at someone...

Every vampire's red eyes, in the room, widened in astonishment.

"I think it would be best if Renesmee stayed here while we investigate, Aro. We don't want any funny business, now do we? Especially when we're dealing with the _Cullens_," Jane said with a sickening smile. _Why do they keep saying Cullen like that? We're the civilized ones!_

Aro nodded in agreement to _Jane's _plan. _There! They say my name rudely then I'll do the same to them! _

"Excuse me, but me staying here doesn't make any sense. Just because Jane doesn't want me to have any fun doesn't mean I should stay here. Considering how many vampires are going I'll be safer with you anyways," I said in the voice Uncle Jasper taught me to use when I was trying to be persuasive. I also wouldn't mind seeing my parents and Jake...

Aro looked at me thoughtfully. "I'm sorry Renesmee. It's just that I'd like to keep you here for safe keeping. Particularly when your family is involved and because of the little incident we had last week... Maybe you can come next time."

_If I don't die of boredom first_ .

"It's not fair," I mumbled childishly as I glared at Jane and folded my arms across my chest.

Aro sighed. "Felix please escort Renesmee to her room."

Felix, who was about two and a half feet taller, looked down at me, grabbed my arm and led me through the door and down the hallway. As soon as the doors closed I turned around to face him and bared my bright white teeth menacingly at him. It probably wasn't as terrifying as when Aunt Rosalie did it, but it was enough to make him let go of my arm.

I felt sort of bad for some extremely odd reason, so for a brief second I placed my palm on his forearm to silently thank him. It seemed, odd using my gift to communicate. It felt like I hadn't used it in years...

Before I knew it Felix was opening the huge door that led to my room. He opened his mouth to say something, but he just turned around leaving me alone. I sat down on my bed and thought momentarily of trying to escape again, but i then remembered the guards that were posted at every possible exit.

I closed my eyes for a second on hope of opening them to realize I was in a bad dream... Sadly that was not the case. I was still underground in Volterra, Italy where nearby several vampires discussed the possible destruction of my family. I knew if I would have stayed with the rest of the Volturi then I would have eventually became so infuriated that would attempt to hurt one of them, which was an error I knew I would later feel contrite about .

I laid my head on my pillow and thought about, well, everything. I wondered why I had grown feelings for the some of the Volturi members when all I could think about was how much I _don't _ want to be here with them. I wondered what my family was doing right now. I wondered if they were planning to save me or if they were going to just live their lives they would have if I was never born. That's all I ever was to them, right? A mistake? A part of me said, _No! They love you and you damn well know it!_

A knock on the door intervened my ruminating.

"Come in," I said in a quiet voice. I wiped the tears that I hadn't noticed were running down my face.

It was Giana. "Renesmee, I-I have to tell you something."

My ears, which were slightly more sensitive than hers, detected a small breath from outside my room.

I put my finger to my lips then pointed at the door.

Giana nodded and winked. "I'll be staying with you through all this and I wanted to let you know you have a shoulder to cry on."

With that she left the room. I never found out what Giana was actually saying, but I know whatever it was had to have been important... and whoever was at my door had been spying on us.

"Hello, Jane," Giana said as she walked down the hall.

"Giana," Jane said curtly.

"Renesmee?" she was next to my door again.

"What?" I said in a flat voice.

"May-May I come in?"

"It depends. Are you planning on torturing me to death?"

She laughed like that was the funniest thing she'd ever heard. "No, I just want to talk to you for a sec. Besides, what I do doesn't kill, you just wish it does, or so I've heard."

Was she attempting to be _nice_? To _me_? Because it_ really _wasn't working out for me. I hate her. She hates me. I could have sworn we already established this...

"Yeah, err come on in," I replied.

"Thank you." She opened the door and sat next to me on the bed.

"Look, I want to avoid this conversation as much as you do but..."

"But?" What was she talking about?

"I'm only vindictive toward you because I'm... _jealous_."

"May I ask what of?"

I'm not Aro's favorite anymore. I'm not special anymore. I'm as important as-as Giana," she said with look of horror on her face.

"You know that isn't true. It's just the fact that Aro has wanted to get his hands on a Cullen for so long he actually settled for half of one," I tried to say sympathetically.

Jane burst out laughing a laugh I've never heard. One that made tears prick my eyes. Jane was just like any other teenage girl (except she was a vampire and drank people's blood). She just desperately needs a friend. Maybe... maybe I could-

Janes eyes hardened as did mine as I remembered who I was speaking with. This was the girl who tortured my father!

"Uh... most of the clan... we're leaving tomorrow morning... most likely before you wake up," Jane stuttered.

I nodded as she turned toward the door, but she froze has she reached for the knob. "Oh, and Renesmee?"

"Yeah?"

"You realize this doesn't change a thing?"

"Wouldn't dream of it."

I swear she smiled at me as she left my room.

"With all of my experience with insane vampires this has got to be the weirdest," I said to myself. I fell asleep not long after that.


	4. Fortune Cookies

_Aro stared at my family, the wolves, and two other men I vaguely recognized. One of the wolves, the big russet one, Jacob leaned forward and growled at Jane. Jane was glaring at Mom, while Dad held her hand. Jane looked at Aro with her eyebrows raised and Aro nodded toward Felix. Felix smiled and lunged at Jake. Then there was a earsplitting scream._

I bolted in an upright position and wiped the cold sweat forehead. It took me a second to examine my surroundings realizing it wasmy scream that had woken me up and that it was _just a dream. _Nothing more. I sighed as I walked sluggishly across the room to the large wardrobe. I pulled one of the ugly cloaks over my tank top and pajama shorts. It's not like it matters what I'm wearing underneath it.

I ran down the stairs and saw Sulpicia and Athendora whispering quietly to each other. I paused before the turn, in the hallway, that made it possible for me to see them but stay hidden at the same time.

"I'll be disappointed if anyone gets hurt," Athendora said in a strained voice.

"Oh, I feel the same way, Dora," Supicia replied, "Especially the mother and father..."

_Wait, is she referring to my mother and father or my grandparents?_

Athendora sighed. "I agree. That little girl will be a broken child with her family dead."

"She is broken."

I looked down and stared at the patterns in the red and gold carpet. Do they actually have some concern from me? Because their husbands sure don't...

"Renesmme? You can come out, dear," Sulpicia said softly.

I slowly side stepped out of my little hiding place. I bit my lip and began to absently play with a strand of my hair.

"Don't worry. Your not in any trouble," Athendora said.

_No trouble... Well, that's new._

I cautiously walked toward the two women. I had never talked to either, but I guess they seemed sorta nice... I know it was improper of me to sit on the floor next to the fancy chairs they were sitting in, but frankly I don't give a damn.

"There are a few things you should know about this castle... There are many passages and secrets that are just waiting to be revealed," Athendora said.

Sulpicia winked and smiled. "Go exploring! I'm sure your dead bored of staying in that room all day," she said.

"Sure. Sound's fun," I said with a tinge of sarcasm. It's not like I don't have a reason to be irritated by them. I never understand what these crazy people are freaking talking about!

I stood up and turned around in one fluid motion. I began to descend down the hall. I looked at the gorgeous antique pictures and waited for a new escape plan to form in my head. Easier said than done.

_There are many passages and secrets that are just waiting to be revealed. What the hell is that demented lady talking about?!_

I sat down cross legged in front of a large painting which I had deemed my favorite so far. It was of a girl with reddish hair with her head resting on her hand and a slightly confused expression. Her ankles were crossed and her purple dress flowed surreally.

So. Bored. A pain in my chest kept me from falling asleep right then and there.

_Is everyone okay? Is anyone dea-no I refuse to think the word. They are adults (in one way at least) and they can take care of them selves! So there. But...no I can't think about this anymore._

I stood up and touched the canvas. It was as if I could feel the brushstrokes. I ran my hand over the dress and felt a large lump underneath it.

My curiosity urged me to use my sharp nails to claw through the painting, but I refrained. I couldn't ruin such a beautiful picture... but I can move it.

I carefully lifted the heavy painting off of the hook. My weight shifted as I tried to steady myself as I craned my neck in order to see what the lump thing was, but the painting reached at least a foot over my head.

I set the painting against the wall and turned to see the thing that was under the painting.

A huge latch was connected to a small square door that was about two feet off the ground. There was a tiny keyhole above the latch. I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair... Ha! Thank god for bobby pins! This must have been left in my hair since last night. I took the bobby pin out of my hair and picked the lock, a skill I had picked up from my Aunt Alice.

_She is such a lifesaver right now... And my Mom didn't want me to know how to do that... Ha Ha things come in handy!_

"Yes!" I hissed under my breath as the lock popped open.

I looked to the left and right behind me to see if anyone was down the hall to see if anyone was coming.

I jumped up and wiggled my way through the 2x2 foot hole. Everything was pitch black. I kept going straight and hoped to god that there would be no turns where I could get lost.

Eventually I hit my head on a wooden... well, dead end. I felt for a handle but there was nothing there but a few spider webs. I turned and slammed my shoulder against the wall. On the fourth try It flung open and I was emerged in an overwhelming amount of sunlight.

I had a sharp intake of breath. The heat felt amazing in my white skin. I blinked a few times while my eyes adjusted. I jumped down from the passage to hear the sound of cars rushing. I was standing on a side walk on the corner of a street called Via Giusto Turazza.

_I'm free? _

Those were the words that now overpowered the rest of my thoughts.

_Why does this feel wrong? This isn't the way I'm supposed to get out. I can feel it._

_But your out now! This is what Sulpicia was talking about._

_But I should go back. this isn't right . My family _is_ coming for me. Turn your butt around and go back._

_Wow... I really need to get out, for christ sake, I'm talking to myself!_

It was too hot in the long cloak and I probably look insane to onlookers. I pulled the cloak over my head and sat down on the ground in my pajamas. A few cars beeped there horns at me and in return I game them the middle finger.

_I'm only fourteen jerks! I'd like to see you do that when Jake and my dad are around! Ha!_

I laid in the sun until it burned my skin and then decided to go back to the Volturi. After arguing with myself for about a half hour I decided the reasonable thing to do would be to go back.

I reluctantly put on the cloak and jumped back up into the passage and fitted the piece of wood back in the exit.

The way back seemed faster and much less exciting. When I got back I re-locked the latch and put the painting back where it was. The rest of the day I explored more of the castle but sadly I didn't find anything else. At all.

It was now around eight 'o' clock and I was being eaten alive with worry in guilt. I laid on my bed and stared at the low ceiling.

This was absolutely, most definitely, all my fault!

My family could be risking their lives right now. Why didn't I just listen to my dad and keep my mouth shut? We probably wouldn't be in such a big mess. Undoubtedly we would be in a mess anyway but not such a dangerous one.

Eventually I became tired and fell sound asleep. No dreams, no nightmares.


	5. Breaking Out

Like I said there was no nightmares...but it did sounded like it when I woke to a loud metallic screeching sound.

I put on small pink robe that had found in the wardrobe and glanced at the clock. 2:24 am. They're probably not here yet. Giana probably just dropped something...

I drifted back to sleep when I heard more of the same screeching noise.

"Ugh, stupid people," I mumbled as I got out of bed to yell at whoever was making so much noise.

So, I quickly put on my black robe and was got ready to spazz on someone.

I was practically running down the hallway hoping someone would get in my way so I could rip their head off! (figuratively speaking, of course)

I was about to make the turn that would reveal to me who annoying vampires (or Giana) was making so much unnecessary noise.

I started to yell all ready, "Shut the hell up! Some people... meaning me have to sleep!"

I turned the corner and saw... my Mom and Dad ripping one of the guards heads off. The head dropped to the floor with a thud. My stomach squirmed in disgust. My parents gave me identical wide eyed looks of shock.

_Wow. I have officially gone insane._

I turned on my heals to go back to sleep. It's way too late... err early to be awake. Obviously.

I jumped back in bed and held the blanket in a death grip as I tried to go back to sleep.

BELLA POV

Edward pulled the he guard as he grabbed my left arm. I took advantage of having my hands free by ripping the mans head off. It wasn't pleasant, being in an such an unfair fight. It made me sick to my stomach as the guards neck cracked.

"Shut the hell up! Some people, meaning me, have to sleep!"

Renesmee! A wide grin spread across my face.

I glanced at Edward who was smiling crookedly as he heard our daughter yelling at who she thought would be a member of the Volturi.

She turned the corner and saw us. My eyes widened as I realized she was looking at us and the mangled body that laid at our feet. Renesmee shook her head and turned to walk back up the stairs.

I looked at Edward with questioning eyes. He shrugged slightly and pulled the small silver lighter out of his jean pocket.

"Wood?" I asked.

Edward looked around the hall and set is eyes on the large painting. He walked over to it lifting it up effortlessly and began to tear at it.

"I feel like such an outlaw... First breaking in to the Volturi's lovely home and then vandalizing it," I joked as Edward finished.

He laughed quietly and we left the fire burning as we walked down the way Renesmee had left. When we got to the end of the hall there was nothing but a large door. We opened it to reveal Renesmee sleeping soundly in a four poster bed.

_At least they've been taking care of her._

I touched her cheek and examined the dark circles under her eyes.

She awoke with a start.

"Hi honey" I said softly.

"Ma-mom?" she replied.

"Yeah, I'm here," I said.

Edward plopped down loudly at the foot of the bed. Renesmee shrieked and looked towards him and mumbled under her breath. Edward laughed, probably at something she thought.

"Where's Jake?" Renesmee said realizing instantly that he wasn't there. Edward rolled his eyes and Renesmee stuck her tongue out at him.

"He's outside guarding the entrance in case the Volturi come back early," I replied.

"By himself?!" she said as she sat upright. She was outraged now.

"Renesmee, it is extremely unlikely that he will get hurt. He can take care of himself and Alice said that it should take them _at least_ a day to go to Oregon and back," Edward said.

Renesmee jumped down from the bed, walked to a large wooden wardrobe and pulled out a hoodie and jeans that she wore the first day she came to Italy.

"Privacy?" she said in a moderately annoyed voice.

Edward didn't argue with leaving her alone as he normally would have. He was probably just trying to stay on her good side. He walked out of the room with his hands in his pockets. I followed reluctantly.

"Do think she was right?" I asked.

"About what in particular?"

"About Jake."

"Bella, I am sure he's fine," he said confidently.

Renesmee opened the door her messy hair now in a ponytail and now instead of wearing the cloak she had on her sweatshirt and distressed jeans.

"Okay, I'm all ready to go!" she said enthusiastically.

"Alright, now Renesmee you _cannot _be seen with us or they'll think you knew what was going to happen and the will try to kill you," Edward said. "None of them will lay a finger on you, but they'll make an effort to. So just attempt to stay hidden if you hear someone."

Renesmee nodded and sighed heavily.

Edward stared at Renesmee as she fidgeted with the locket that hung from her neck.

She looked up. "What?" she asked.

"Nothing let's just get out of here before something dreadful happens."

Edward began to lead the way forward as Renesmee and I lingered behind him.

"What did dad mean, 'before something dreadful happens'," Renesmee whispered.

"I have no idea," I replied honestly.

Renesmee's eyes lit up. "Dad!"

She ran up the hall and struggled to keep up with his pace. I ran up to where they walked, or rather where Edward walked and Renesmee jogged.

"Yes?" Edward said.

"I know another way out!" Renesmee exclaimed.

"_You_ do?" he asked skeptically.

"Yeah, _I _do," Renesmee said.

Edward nodded reading her mind obviously and turned quickly so he was facing the opposite direction and began walking toward me.

"Okay, really this isn't fair I have no idea of what's going on, so-"

A noise barely audible pointed out that some one had come back. Renesmee's eyes widened in fear.

"Jacob," she whimpered as tears welled up in her eyes.

_Oh, no._

If Jacob was guarding and they got in..."Is he-is he okay?" I asked hoping that Renesmee wouldn't hear Edward's reply if the outcome was bad.

Edward didn't even look at me but he had a worried expression on his face.

Renesmee was slower than Edward and I so he picked her up and put her on his back. I tilted my head and paused for a second comparing how similar we must have looked when I was human and it was me who perched on Edward's back. There was a part of me that missed my human life.

Edward grabbed my hand and led me down the hall as Renesmee closed her eyes giving mental directions to Edward on how to get to her secret exit.

"Stop!" she said suddenly. "This is it."

We stood in front of a large painting. It was magnificent and beautiful, but I had no idea how this would get us out.

Edward set Renesmee down softly on the ground. She tumbled a little from dizziness. I reached my arm in front of her to stop her from toppling to the ground. The last thing we need is for her to get an concussion and then have Jake rag on us for the rest of our lives about how he should have stayed with us... if he was still alive that is.

I cringed as I thought of how terrible it would be if Jake was hurt, and it would be all that and worse if it was our fault...and then my mind snapped back into reality.

Edward lifted the painting silently and set it on the ground. There was a small square hole that was perfect for Renesmee's small size however getting Edward and I through it though could be difficult.

"We can't break the lock!" he whispered to me.

"Why?" I hissed back.

"It'll make too much noise!"

Renesmee just stood there smiling at us like we were idiots. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a single bobby pin then we heard footsteps. They rounded the corner and-

"They're back! Hurry!" Giana said.

Renesmee already had the bobby pin in the keyhole. She shook the pin in fast motions. The lock didn't open.

"I don't understand it won't open!" Renesmee said with worry in her brown eyes, as distant voices came down the hall.

"Giana, can you stall them?" I asked quickly.

"I'll try."

"Don't let Aro touch you, if he came!" Edward added urgently.

Giana nodded. Renesmee struggled to stay focused on getting the lock undone.

"Got it!" Renesemee said with a cocky smile.

I could hear Giana talking to a member of the Volturi.

"Alec, there was a disturbance in the east wing. I think there's a human poking around there," she said in a convincing voice.

Alec didn't reply, however I heard a two sets of footsteps going in the opposite direction.

"Will she be alright," my daughter asked me.

"I'm sure she'll be fine," I said confidently, but in reality I had no idea.

Renesmee opened the door and gestured for me to go first. I jumped up and wiggled my way through with Renesmee following. Edward got in backwards, pulled the picture over the passage and clicked the re-locked the latch.

We crawled threw the cramped square until we came to a dead end.

I pushed lightly on the square door and it opened effortlessly. I hopped out, and what I saw was far from what I expected. I helped Renesmee out without turning my back on the six members of the Volturi that now surrounded us. Edward followed close behind her.

Renesmee yelped as she was shocked to find that we were not alone. Edward gently pushed her back so she was slightly behind us.

I realized that Giana stood behind them, helpless and human. She looked at me with eyes that plead for forgiveness and worry. Of course, I knew she was sorry and it was an accident that she led them to us.

I looked around for some sign of Jacob. Nothing. No one.

"Did you really think that you would get out this easily?" Alec asked. I was sure it was the first time I'd heard him speak.

I automatically stretched my shield so he couldn't paralyze my family. He stood in directly in front of us. The others I recognized as Corin, Afton, his mate, Chelsea, and Santiago.

Chelsea was scrutinizing us, trying to destroy our relationship with each other. Of course, she had no affect on us.

Edward crouched down defensively in front of Renesmee and I. I pushed past him and copied his stance.

"Bella, please get behind me," Edward growled quietly.

"No way! I am just as capable as you are," I growled back stubbornly.

Edward shook his head in frustration.

I looked behind me where Renesmee stood casually, smiling. Her eyes did not rest on Edward nor I. She looked behind the partial Volturi Coven.

She gleamed at an alley where, when I looked carefully I could see Jacob smiling at her back. Then just when Renesmee opened her mouth Edward grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward him.

"Not one word," he said almost inaudibly.

RENESMEE'S POV

I glared up at my father and my excitement faded quickly when I realized how dangerous it would be for Jake as well as me if I were to further indicate the fact that my parents were trying to break me out.

"There doesn't need to be a fight, Alec," Dad stated cautiously,"You believed the Cullens meant no harm when you went to

Oregon today, and it is true for us, also. We mean just to get our daughter back."

I looked up quickly to see if Jake was still there. That was a mistake.

"What is she looking at?"Santiago said. He had dark hair asked as if he was fascinated by my every move.

I rolled my eyes as I thought of how annoying it was when people address my father to no what I'm thinking.

"Why don't you just look?" Mom said, snarling.

"No, Santiago is smart enough to realize your foolish plan," Afton hissed.

"Yes," said Alec, "You should no that we won't fall for such a thing. Of, course to turn or backs on you out of mere curiosity would be the perfect angle of attack."

"You're right," my dad said cockily with bright white grin.

_What the hell?_

Just then, I heard a huff of breath that I know I would recognize from a mile away. It came from the same place that Jacob stood. I knew the partial Volturi would look behind them instinctivly, and all hell would break lose.

I knew that lives were going to be lost, but it was to much to bear. In a strange way I still cared for the people that kept me prisoner.

I watched him silently lean forward, preparing himself to lunge at Alec.

_Stop, Dad! Stop! _If I screamed the thoughts maybe he'd have a better chance to hear me.

"Oh!" he said in shock of what he'd heard me think. He automatically bolted upright from his defensive crouch.

The Volturi kept their red eyes on us. They looked confused and eerie in the moonlight.

Suddenly breaking the surprisingly awkward silence a whoosh of air brushed my face, and I realized that Jake had jumped into the semi circle that the four of us were now the center of.

He grabbed me into a tight hug, lifting me up a foot and a half. I smiled as his warm skin brushed against mine, and my heart swelled inside of me in relief.

"Jacob," my dad said perfunctorily to pull him back to the matter at hand.

"Oh, right. Err. Dammit," said Jacob. I looked at him tilting my head slightly. Had Jake always been so... huge?

He backed away from me and Dad grabbed my arm and pulled my away from him. I frowned and pressed my palm against his forearm. He knew I wouldn't get hurt if Jacob phased in front of me, but he still needed me to remind him _every single freaking time._

Jake trembled and there suddenly was a russet brown wolf towering over me, eight feet tall.


	6. Cause of Misfortune

My mind flashed back to the astonished face of the guard. Alec stood, his feet spread shoulder length apart and his arms folded over his chest.

Alec had seen the wolves before, from what I remember, and from what I've heard from the stories my cousin, Kate had told me. He glared at Jacob and wrinkled his nose.

"Of course there would be more trouble waiting for the smart ones!" he muttered with a grimace. Clearly he wanted no part of this.

"What do you mean, the smart ones?" I asked. I was too curious to hold my tongue any longer.

"Some of us came back, the members of the guard that felt no need to further debrief the Cullens. Clearly, the whole thing was a misunderstanding. Apparently we were wrong completely. And this _human_," he spat the word while turning to scowl terrifyingly at Gianna, "tried to help you for a mere _bribe_! What do we need a receptionist for anyway?"

Jacob listened intently, but he still lowered his head enough for me to stroke the red fur that surrounded his face. My parents exchanged worried glances that I knew they trying to be careful not to let me see.

My eyes flashed to Gianna's terrified face. She stood behind the Volturi, frozen stiff.

_Oh, please don't let them hurt her. Please, please, please! _I chanted to myself.

Dad glanced at me, his eyes soft and smoldering, trying to ease my troubled mind.

"This doesn't need to turn into a fight," he repeated.

"Oh, but on the contrary, I do believe it does," Alec sneered.

I ground my teeth together to keep the slurs and profanities that I desperately wished to shout at him even though I knew that, of course, they would be futile.

"Please. Just. Stop," I struggled to say evenly. It felt like my throat was closing in on itself.

Alec tilted is head and his black eyes scrutinized me and he sneered under his breath. He crouched down and put his hands in front of him.

Everything after is still solely a blur , even now, as I recall the events of that night.

What I do remember is being yanked backwards by my father and letting my fingers press into the cold, firm brick of the wall. My mother was then attacked by the women, Chelsea.

"Mom!" I screamed. My father was beside her instantly pulling Chelsea off of her. I pulled my hand to my mouth to keep my terrified screeching to a minimal.

Jacob stayed protectively in front of me. Then, Santiago jumped on my father's back and Jake ran over to intervene. Jake used his teeth to rip Santiago off my father. Tears rolled down my cheeks as Corin and Afton jumped in. Alec just stood there, his eyes thick with superiority. Did he have no heart? Gianna was on her knees and holding her face in her hands.

I blinked a teardrop from my eye and then there was a hand that gripped my forearm pulling me. I wiped the tear from my eyes with the back of my hand. I looked up at person who held my arm. Alec glared at me and threw me to the ground at his feet.

The look on my father's face haunts me to this day. The agony in his eyes was heart wrenching. Everyone had stopped fighting the second Alec had grabbed me. Corin, Chelsea, Afton, and Santiago struggled to hold Dad, Mom, and Jake.

"Stand up, human brat!" Alec spat at me.

_If you want me up then why did you put me on the ground in the first place, imbecile?!_

My infuriation causes me to do stupid things and at this particular moment the retarded thing I did was to not listen to a word Alec said. I just scowled at him.

He made an obnoxious, annoyed sound, grabbed my shoulder and then yanked me upward.

"She is the cause of all misfortunes, yet she does us no good!" Alec said to the other vampires. He talked down to them as if they were children.

"Alec," Gianna said from behind him. "Don't hurt her..."

Alec sneered cruelly at Gianna. He lifted his arm and slapped her so quickly that his arm was a blur.

Gianna screamed so loud that it rang in my ears for several minutes.

A light turned on in the warehouse. The scuffling of human feet and quiet voices was muffled to my ears, but I could make out the majority of the conversation.

_"Did you hear that?" a child's voice questioned._

_"You must be imagining things again. Go back to bed, sweetheart," a man's voice replied. Probably the father, I thought._

_"No daddy! It was a lady screaming and voices and metal screeching! It's real!"_

_The man groaned and the furniture, a bed, creaked._

_Footsteps proceeded to the window. Oh no._

Alec gestured to a dark alley. The guard that held my mother and father released them. Dad reached for my hand, but I shook my head and reached quickly for Jake and hoisted my self onto his back.

I reached my hand down and Gianna grabbed it hesitantly. She's fairly light and it was easy for me to swing her up to Jacob's back, and Jake raced into the alley.

The alley was cold dark and uncomfortable. If the human father came outside and saw us we were, well, screwed. I stayed on Jacob's back with Gianna while everyone stayed against the alley walls.

The father walked out of the apartment building and glanced around the street. He saw nothing and shook his head. He turned on his bare heels and walked back into the building and in an instant I leaned forward to get a better look at the mom's face, she looked like she was getting ready for something, but I didn't know what for I was being lurched forward.

Jacob ran full speed,which is much faster than I can run, toward down the dormant street. My mother and father trailed him, but where was Gianna? I could have sworn she was still on Jake's back, but she was no where to be seen. The Volturi hadn't any hope in hell of catching us so the battle between the Cullens and the Volturi would, to my annoyance, continue.

Five minutes later we turned into another alley. Jake ran in to go back into his human form. Don't worry he had shorts around his ankles so... well, so he wasn't naked. He came out of the alley in seconds.

"Why wasn't I let in on the plan?"

"'Cause you're naive," Jake said. I stuck my tongue out at him.

"She's smarter than you give her credit for," Dad cut in.

"Yeah, I know she's smart. She's smarter than I am-"

"Hell yeah!" I smiled.

"Watch you're mouth, Ness," Mom commented. I grinned devilishly. We were us again. We were together. We weren't safe, but we were together and this insignificant carefree conversation felt like it was the first time we could forget- about the Volturi, the controversial wolves, everything... and be us, a family.

We walked in a happy silence down the empty street. My mom broke the silence, not after ten minutes.

"We'll be right back," she said and kissed my forehead.

"Where are you going?" I called as my dad and her began to run ahead of Jacob and me.

"To get a car," Mom yelled back to me.

I tried to protest them leaving me and Jake alone but they were all ready gone.

"So what now?" I asked Jake.

"We wait patiently."

"Why couldn't I have gone," I whined.

"It's dangerous." Jacob's voice had gone grave.

"Getting a car is too dangerous?"

Jacob sighed and sat on the curb and patted the sat next to him. I sat down next to him and put my head on his shoulder.

"Renesmee Carlie Cullen, do you realize the hell you put us all through?"

"I didn't mean to! I just I thought it could help if I - just," but I couldn't finish for my throat was closing in attempt to keep from crying.

Jake wrapped his warm arms around me. "Silly girl, I didn't mean it was your fault. I only meant that if you went with them, there is potential that the rest of the leeches will be coming back and if they saw you..."

Soon we heard the purring engine of a little, black Lamborghini.


	7. Airplanes and Lullabies

The Lamborghini screeched to a stop and Jacob and I ran to it. We slid into the black leather interior of the backseat.

We were at an airport in a matter of minutes. We walked into the large glass doors to absolute silence, except for the soft tapping of keys on a keyboard. We walked toward the front desk of a sleepy women wearing a uniform.

"We need a flight to America, and we're in a bit of a hurry," Mom said, her eyes smoldering. "Do you have any flights scheduled for any time soon?"

The lady furrowed her eyebrows.

"Inserisci il testo da tranwe bisogno di un biglietto aereo per americaslate qui," my father said quickly. I didn't have a clue what he was saying.

"Im sorry il volo successivo è al mattino," she replied.

"Che ora l'aereo al decollo?" he said as he rubbed his forehead.

"Orologio cinque 'o'."

"Grazie."

"Il mio piacere," the woman said as she slyly looked over my father and smiled.

"What the hell was that?" Jake asked Dad as we walked back to the stolen Lamborghini.

"Was what?" he replied.

"You speak Italian?"

"Sort of," dad remarked.

"God, what can't you do," Jake rolled his eyes.

"Lots," he said as he wrapped his arm around my mother's waist and leaned in to kiss her cheek but they continued to walk forward.

I smiled to myself and wished suddenly I knew what they were all thinking about. I hadn't realized I had slowed my pace.

"C'mon, Nessie!" Jake called as he held the car door open for me.

I grinned and ran toward him. I hopped in the car and he slid in after me.

"So when is the next plane, Dad?"

"It's not till five."

"But it's like," I glanced at the glowing digital clock in front of me,"three! What'll we do until then?"

"Are you guys hungry?" Mom turned to ask Jacob and I. Mom had been being very maternal toward Jake and me lately, since a few months ago before I even arrived in Volterra. Weird.

I shook my head vigorously. When was the last time I had _real_ food? I couldn't recall. Not that I would prefer human over my usual diet, but my dad's cooking was really good. I mean _really_ good. Anyhoo, I wouldn't dare eating this late at night-or rather early in the morning. My stomach was too weak.

I looked to my left and saw Jacob nodding. When was he_ not_ hungry!

"Of course," Dad murmured. Jacob's stomach growled as if to emphasis on his words.

We pulled into some twenty-four-hour italian drive through place. A very annoyed sounding teenager said something in italian and my father answered him in the foreign tongue. Dad then ordered enough food for a feast, which, no doubt, Jacob would eat every bit of.

We drove aimlessly around the city. Jake probably got a kick out of that-speeding two hundred miles per hour through a gorgeous city. Mom had been looking through the CDs stored in the little glove compartment. Finally she pulled out a purple case and flipped it open. She put the CD in the cars stereo and turned the volume up a little.

The song was soft. The electric guitar in the background just strummed in harmony with the girl's soft girlie voice. I fell asleep with my head leaning on Jacob's warm shoulder.

"Hun," Jacob's raspy voice said. He shook my shoulder gently when I didn't respond. "Ness," he said flatly. He shook me harder. "Ne-es!" He groaned my nickname making it two syllables.

"Oh, for the love of god, Jake, what?!" I asked but kept my eyes shut.

He chuckled to my annoyance and said, "We're at the airport. Nice dream, by the way."

"You listened?! Jacob, I hate that and you know it!" He grinned sheepishly.

"But there so interesting," he said with a wondering look in his dark eyes. I puled my arm up like I was going to touch his cheek but I slapped him instead, knowing it wouldn't hurt him. Jacob was like an older brother. The best, most cocky older brother anyone had ever had. I never gave much thought to the whole imprinting thing. It seemed totally natural that Jake _had _to be in my life I had known him quite literally my whole life. I suddenly came out of my reverie when I remembered the matter at hand.

"Dad?"

"Hmm?"

I sat up in the car and got out reluctantly and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. "Where exactly are we going in America. We can't possibly stay in the same place! What do they want with me anyway? My gift can't be used as an advantage in battle..."

"Shhh. Everything'll be fine. We're flying to the U.S. Then, we'll stay in Denali with Tanya."

His assurance wasn't as convincing as it should have been. "But Demetri-"

"Won't be able to find us as long as Bella can keep her shield up," he interrupted, already knowing my thoughts. "C'mon now." He reached for my hand and pulled me out. I got out and stretched my arms out above me.

We walked into the familiar airport. My dad got tickets and we were on the plane in no time.

My dad's phone buzzed as the plane took off. "You know, you're not supposed to have cell phones on planes. It could mess with the radio frequency and the plane would crash and we'd all die," I said in my best know-it-all voice.

Dad snorted and flipped the phone open. "Alice?" a short pause. "Perfect were on our way back now," a second cessation. "Thank you." Dad shut the phone and stuffed it back in his pocket.

"What'd she say?" Jacob asked before I could.

"The rest of the Volturi are on their way to Volterra. We're lucky we left when we did. Aro won't be happy with Alec after finding out that we got away from him and his miniscule guard."

I was then reminded of weak and human Gianna. I buried my face in my dad's jacket that he had draped over me after he saw me shiver.

"She'll be okay," Dad promised me and held my hand. He began to sing my song. One of the few that he wrote lyrics for according to my mom.

_"Stumbling on reasons that are far and few _

_I'd let it all come down and then some for you _

_Pretty baby don't you leave me _

_I have been saving smiles for you _

_pretty baby why can't you see _

_you're the one that I belong to _

_I'll be the embrace that keeps you warm _

_for you're the sun that breaks the storm _

_I'll be alright and I'll sleep sound _

_as long as you keep comin' around, pretty baby _

_And I know things can't last forever _

_but there are lessons that you'll never learn _

_oh just the scent of you it makes me smile_

_so it's alway you that makes me better ..."_

Of course he knows that the song never fails to put me to sleep and it didn't falter this time either.


	8. War and Revelations

When I awoke I was no longer on the cold plane. I was in a car. A very familiar car. A shiny silver Volvo with black leather seats.

I quickly realized I was siting on Jacob's lap. He snored loudly and had his arms unconsciously wrapped around my stomach.

I looked over my shoulder to examine my surroundings. Behind me a mercedes followed us. Threw the windows I could see almost all of it was covered in luggage. Carlisle and Esme saw me staring at the car and they waved back at me enthusiastically. Behind them were Emmett and Jasper. I waved back with equal exuberance.

My aunts were to either side of Jake, squishing us tightly in the backseat that was meant for only three people. My eyes widened. _How long have I been asleep? Or was I still dreaming?_ Rosalie smiled hugely and kissed my forehead, but said nothing. Her yellow eyes- glowing brightly even in the darkness- refocused on the road ahead. Alice was looking forward unseeingly. I smiled automatically at her expression when she felt my eyes on her perfect face. She grinned as brilliantly as Rosalie and her eyes widened. She hugged me awkwardly as I was still on Jacob's lap.

"I missed my shopping partner," she whispered in my ear before releasing me from her embrace. I giggled to myself.

Mom was in the passenger seat and Dad was driving. I leaned forward to touch mom's cheek. My thought played back the road signs that flew down the highway in my peripheral vision a second ago. I hadn't recognized a single one. Why were we driving anyways? Why not fly?

"We're in Kelowna, Canada," she smiled sadly. I furrowed my eyebrows together. We must already be headed for Denali. I knew Kelowna was in the British Columbia. If it's eight hours from Portland to Kelowna by car... and then the flight from Volterra and New York was roughly ten hour long and I'd slept threw most of that...

I pressed my palm to my mom's shoulder again to ask her if the rest of the family had met us at the airport she nodded once.

I went back to trying to calculate how long I'd been asleep. Eventually, dad seemed to hear what I was trying to do. He glanced at me through the rearview mirror. A smile touched his eyes.

"You've been asleep for just under twenty hours, my Nessie," he said softly.

I sighed loudly.

"You've had a busy couple of days," mom assured me.

I shrugged. I pressed my cheek against Jacob's shoulder. Hi black tee shirt was feather soft against my face. Many very random thoughts ran through my head from than on. I thought about the locket around my neck and how it had stayed with me threw all of my troubles, the tiny mp3 that had thousands of my father and I's favorite songs, the life I found normal even though most people would put me in a mental hospital if I told them the truth.

I mulled that last thought over a bit. Who would I be if I weren't surrounded by the supernatural. Well, that was a stupid question considering I'd only existed because my dad was a vampire and my mother a human. If it weren't so they would've never met. But what if my mom and dad had met both human? There'd be no Jacob with no supernatural. Not the same Jacob. I frowned at myself when I imagined that; me without Jacob. I wouldn't be me. It was that simple.

I watched the ocean and the road fly past me. We sat in silence for hours. After a while Mom, Alice, Rose, and Dad got into an avid discussion about whether the Volturi would expect to find us with Tanya and her coven.

"Aro knows each of our alliances. He would be stupid not to think of Tanya first. He has seen the bond between our families in our thoughts," dad said with concentration.

"Yes, but what would he want Renesmee for anyway?" Rosalie said, not rudely, but it still annoyed me a little. "Her gift isn't useful to him," she continued.

"Maybe-" Mom said then bit her lip. "What if it was all a plan. To take Renesmee and then try to get us to join them every time we attempted to get her back? Including the wolves. Aro did say..."

I shuddered. I knew what she meant we all did. Aro and his guard dogs. That particular memory had stayed with me.

_Aro likes the idea of... guard dogs, _Dad had said.

"Huh. I hadn't thought about it that way," Alice said absently.

"How do we even know they'll come after me again?" I asked. All this worrying was beginning to really irritate me.

"Because it's just as it was seven years ago," Dad said coldly.

Oh! _Oh! _Allistar had been right! He had always been right! The Volturi are trying to gain more talented vampires from every confrontation. It's just that this time we've done no wrong.

What is Aro's ulterior motive though? Why would he want so many talented vampires for? To merely showcase them?

"Not likely," Dad muttered in answer to my musing.

Rosalie ignored the silent question. "We've been through this a thousand times! The Volturi are not the center of all evil as you all seem to think!"

"Rose, the Volturi have changed. I've seen it, what they've done to less powerful covens. They pick they're own fights to gain gifted vampires._ Innocent _gifted vampires," Alice said in a strange whispery voice.

Jacob opened his eyes drowsily. "'Morning Ness. Morning leeches!" he said playfully. We all turned to glare at him. Apparently he hadn't realized the tense conversation we'd been having previous to his waking. pressed my palm to his arm to get him caught up. I played the whole conversation back to him.

"Who did the Volturi get yet? Anyone I know?" Jacob asked.

I shook my head solemnly. I had not seen any of our witnesses in the Volturi's castle during my visit.

"Oh no," Alice mouthed as she stared blankly in the future. Dad cursed under his breath and the car sped even faster.

"What? What is it?" Mom asked anxiously.

"The Volturi are going to go against ever thing they stand for. They are going to try to aqquire every gifted vampire and get rid of the rest," Alice said in a flat, detached voice.

"Why?" I asked, exasperated.

"When?" Jacob said through his teeth.

"But why?" Mom repeated.

"I don't know," Alice said. "They're trying to keep me from seeing iy. That much I can tell."

"That means one thing," Rose whispered. I tilted my head and furrowed my eyebrows.

"We're at war. _Everyone _is at war," Dad said.


	9. Fighters

A war? A _war_?

"We have to save them," I whispered.

"Who? Save who?" Jacob asked.

"Everyone we've ever spoken to... and others that we've never met," Alice answered for me.

"I don't think I follow you, shortie."

"Aro is going to_ kill _every vampire who doesn't have a gift... and keep the others," Dad growled though his teeth. I stared at him with a horrified expression.

"Keep?" Jacob said mirroring Dad's infuriated tone. Dad nodded sharply once.

"For his coven," Alice snarled.

Jacob's eyes narrowed. "Will you be in any danger?" he whispered to me. Behind the anger in his expression was pain. Extreme pain. No one answered his question.

The silence that followed was extremely uncomfortable. Jake pressed his cheek to my shoulder. No one spoke until we were at Tanya's.

Rosalie and Alice got out of the car slowly for them. Jacob helped me out. We walked toward Tanya's gorgeous house with caution. Did they know we were coming?

I could hear Grandpa's Mercedes crunching over the snow behind us. It stopped with a screech. Grandma ran out with blinding speed. She hugged me tightly. Grandpa came up behind her, followed by Em and Jazz. Grandpa touched his cool hand to my cheek and stared into my eyes.

"Welcome back, darling," he murmured.

"We missed you so much," Grandma said softly.

Emmett hugged me tightly, to a point where I couldn't' breathe.

"Emmm-ett!" I growled happily through his vise. He dropped me and I landed on my feet on the snow covered ground.

Jasper ruffled my hair and I felt a wave of ease despite this newly found hostile situation. Apparently, Jasper had caught on to the mood.

"What's wrong, Alice?"

She explained to him- and everyone else — our revelations from the car ride. She spoke to quickly for human ears. To quickly for _my_ ears.

Jacob put his arm around my shoulders and we walked human speed to the door way. My parents were already at the on the front steps. Mom knocked-three short quick raps on the wood of the door.

Kate answered the door a half a second later. The shock on her face was obvious. Garrett stood a few feet away from her. He closed the distance with one graceful movement. He smiled warmly at our family as he always did when we came over. But today we weren't just visiting. I noticed that his eyes were now the same shade of gold as my family's. It suited him.

"Hi! Oh Nessie, thank God!" Kate said when she composed herself. She reached for me and hugged me tightly. My mom's eyes tightened. Kate wasn't exactly her favorite person. She thought Kate used her electric-like power too sadistically. I never thought that, though.

"So are we celebrating Renesmee's safety?" Garrett asked with an easy smile. He stepped back from the doorway and gestured for us to come in.

Dad put a hand on his shoulder before entering the Denalis' home. I followed him in. Jake, Rose, Mom, Emmett, Alice, Grandpa, Grandma, and Jasper filed in after us.

_It's a good thing they have such a big house, _I thought.

We walked into the familiar living room. It was big, with the couch facing a huge glass French door that over looked the Alaskan forest. The walls were made of a warm colored wood paneling. Cherry wood maybe? Or Cedar was it? A stone fireplace burned red and orange on the wall to the left of the French doors. Behind the cozy living room was a kitchen- one that was never used, of course, except for when I was over. The kitchen had a long butcher block counter top with a pretty red bricked backsplash. The stairs were just near the entry way.

Jake made himself comfortable on the sofa. He'd been here many times before and he had long got past of his aversion to vampires. I sat down on the carpet in front of the fire and warmed my hands. Everyone else had been talking quietly in low dark voices in the kitchen.

A few seconds later Eleazar, Tanya, and Carmen came down the stairs. Like Kate and Garrett had been, they were all ecstatic at my getting away from the Volturi.

I payed little attention to the vampires' quiet conversation. They only discussed what I already knew.

A minute or so later Alice's tone changed slightly. I tried to listen discreetly.

"We're looking for fighters," she whispered. "Talented fighters. I know there's a large clan in Japan that would be eager to help us. The Volturi are planning on picking our covens off one by one. We just have to get to the covens first. The Volturi will use false accusations to kill the vampires that they don't need. The ones that don't have gifts. Of course, we understand if you would rather run, as others may, but this time, when absolutely every vampire is in danger regardless, this will be more than a fair fight." I turned my head to see Alice's face. Of course, she was smiling hugely.

"We will not run!" scoffed Tanya. "Do you really think that little of us, cousin?" I continued to stare, trying to make it not-so-obvious that I was eavesdropping. Dad turned his head slightly to wink at me.

_Damn mind reading!_

"Of course, not," Grandpa said. "But we do have one more favor to ask."

"Which is ...?" Kate asked when he didn't continue.

"Will you help us find... fighters?" Grandpa winced a little at that last word. I sighed. I could tell this wasn't going to be easy for him.

"We'd be happy to help, Carlisle," Eleazar said.

"Que no te fallará," Carmen nodded and smiled daintily.

"Thank you," Mom whispered like a huge weight had been taken off her shoulders.

Jacob was already passed out on the couch. I stood up and stretched out my arms over my head. I skipped over to the kitchen where my family discussed travel plans.

I went to stand next to Carmen. I've always had some connection with her that i didn't understand. She's just one of those people that you're happy to be around and they're happy to be around you in return.

She stroked my hair and reached for my hand. She held it gently.

"We should probably take Renesmee to South America to get the Amazons," Dad said to my mother. He looked at me in his peripheral vision. "I'm sure Zafrina has misses her."

I grinned. Zafrina had the most beautiful gift in my eyes. She always showed me the most interesting things... Although I haven't seen her since I looked like seven years old.

"Eleazar and I will go to Japan to find the unknown coven," Carmen said enthusiastically.

"Kate, Garrett, and I will bring all the nomads from the U.S. and Europe," Tanya said.

"Jasper, Carlisle, Esme, Rose, Emmett, and I will find any others in Asia and all of Carlisle's old friends that came last time."

"Not Allistar!" I said quickly and they all laughed.

"But she's right," Mom said with a smile. "Allistar is too chicken to fight."


	10. Hope

The others nodded in agreement. Mom turned her head to look into my dad's. It had always bewildered me, to see two people that were so in love. It was like they lived just for each other. "Remember what Siobhan said?"

He shook his head and smiled crookedly, "No. What did Siobhan say?"

"She said 'Alice will tell us when they intend to strike. And we'll gather again. Perhaps the time will come when our world is ready to be free of the Volturi altogether.'" Mom smiled. "Siobhan was right."

"So there is hope?" Grandma asked in a little voice.

"Of course. There is always hope. This time we can actually be a bit more cocky about it." Garrett said in a sure and casual voice.

Kate nodded. "So when do we get started? Finding our fighters, I mean."

"As soon as possible," Jasper said.

"Rose and I'll take one of the cars to get plane tickets," Emmett said excitedly. Dad pulled the Volvo's keys out of his pocket and through them at him. Emmett reached above his head and caught the keys effortlessly.

"See you guys in a few!" Rosalie said and walked out the door.

Jacob jumped awake when the door slammed. "God, mutt, it was just a door!" Tanya said. I elbowed her and she giggled. I didn't like when they picked on Jacob. It wasn't fair. He was outnumbered. It was all in good fun, though.

Jake rolled his eyes and walked into the kitchen. "Food?"

"Fully stocked since you were last here," Kate said her tone thick with sarcasm. She gestured to the fridge

"Are you hungry," Carmen asked me. I raised an eyebrow and shook my heal. I placed my palm to her pale olive skin. "Oh, of course. How silly of me!"

Mom looked at Dad with a confused expression. "Thirsty, not hungry."

"Oh."

"I'll take her!" Jake said from the refrigerator he'd been raiding. Dad's eyes tightened slightly, but he made no objection to the offer.

"Wait!" Alice said and ran outside to the Mercedes. She quickly pulled out a medium sized carry on bag from the trunk. She was back in the house before I'd blinked. She opened the purple bag violently and yanked out a neat square of thick black fabric.

Alice unfolded the square and held it up to me. It was a coat. A beautiful black winter trench coat. I smiled at her and hugged her around her neck. She had always had an uncanny perception of what kind of clothes I would like, even if she couldn't "see" me. I thanked her and slipped the coat on. It fit perfectly.

"You ready?" I asked Jake.

"Yup," he said making his lips pop at the P.

I was kissed on the forehead and hugged multiple times before we were permitted to leave.

I suddenly realized how thirsty I really was. I ran out the door at my fastest, which still didn't wind me. I heard Jake- still in his human form running close behind me.

"Be right back!" he said and ducked into the opposite direction of the trees I was running in. He was back in seconds and found me easily, though I never stopped running in the direction I'd been in the first place. He was a big reddish wolf now.

It was like nothing had ever changed. We challenged each other to see who could get the biggest game. I caught the scent of a mountain lion quickly and followed it. It wasn't instinctual, just habit. Jacob ran so he was on my right side. I giggled and threw my weight toward the sparkly snow, but swung my feet back over my head so I landed on Jacob's back.

I pressed my palm to his back and told him to follow the scent of the cat and not the deer that I could tell he was following. He made an almost annoyed sound in his throat, but turned around to follow the mountain lion's scent. He thought it wasn't good to let me fight with the more fierce game, though I've never been hurt by anything like that before. Jacob thought I was soft and more human then vampire. I, however believe otherwise.

We finished our kills off quickly and then headed back up to Tanya's place. The Volvo was back, so that meant Rose and Em were back with the tickets.

We walked up the stairs quickly and entered through the front door. We turned the corner where the elevon vampire stood almost exactly as they were before. Emmett was throwing each of the tickets to the person they were for. Mom lifted a hand to greet Jacob and I.

"Today, Emmett?" Tanya asked.

"Jasper said as soon as possible," Emmett shrugged.

"He did say that," Mom said quietly.

"What time?" I asked.

"Nine." Rose said. Huh. It was 3 now. I shrugged out of my coat and ran over to the closet to hang it up. When I came back into the kitchen everyone seemed a little dismal...

"What?" I asked.

"It's just... we feel like we all were reunited only to be apart again," Dad answered me.

"But we need to do this. It's not just about us. It's about all us," I said in a confused voice. We were doing this for a reason.

"I believe you are misunderstanding," Grandpa said softly. "We don't have any doubt about what we are planning on doing. It is only that we want to stay together in a time of need."

"Oh." I get it.

An avid thought popped in my head at random. When was the last time I had been measured? I frowned. My dad probably picked that out of my head.

"Carlisle?" Dad said. I huffed loudly. I already knew what he was going to say. Dad glanced at me with a smile. "We should probably take Renesmee's height."

I mumbled unintelligently out of annoyance. I hated this. We didn't follow such a strict routine since I was little, for it has slowed dramatically, but it was a precaution Grandpa had continued to take. I thought there was no point to it, considering we already know from Nahuel that I will eventually stop growing and aging. But they still took the damn precaution.

"Ah, Yes," Grandpa said. He walked outside to the Mercedes, slowly for him, and grabbed a medical bag. He took out a measuring tape and brought it back inside. I stood up straight and he ran it down the length of my side.

"5'2," he said. "Hmm. Last time you were 4'11."

"What a shock. I grew. Grandpa, we're already aware of my growth rate," I whined.

"I know, I know. It is just very interesting. I wonder if..." he continued on, using medical terms that I didn't understand. I payed little attention to his contemplation, which, later, carried out into a conversation with a few of my family members.

*~*~*

We had finished divvying up our bags and luggage that Alice had packed in the Mercedes. The Cullen and Denali families were preparing for departure. The Denalis had packed their things as well. It was finally setting in that we would all be worlds away from each other.

Jacob, Mom, Dad, and I were going to take the Volvo. Grandpa was taking most of my aunts and uncles back to Oregon to get their cars, and Tanya's family had their car. A few of us were going to 'rent' cars. More like steal... Not that I have a problem with that, considering the circumstances. But that was just getting to the airport! It's not easy to travel with such a large family, you know... though we would only travel together for a short while.


	11. Rio de Janeiro

The drive to the airport was silent, aside from Jacob and I's quiet breathing. The adults - and when I say adults I mean everyone excluding Jake and myself - made small talk as we went through the long, tedious metal detector lines and bag check.

Jacob kept giving me these worried looks as we waited. The expression looked strange on his usually carefree face. I suppressed a sigh as I took off my shoes and pulled my locket from around my neck to go through the metal detector. We continued to go through the procedures that follow while attempting to get on a plane.

After what seemed like a millennia we were about to bored. Mom, Dad, and Jacob (Jacob more or less) said our farewells to the rest of our family. It wasn't a sad goodbye. No, not sad, but very tense.

We walked up the ramp to the plane. I stopped at the top of the ramp and turned to see my extended family's faces, but they were gone. I let out one heavy breath and took the last step to getting on the plane.

Our first stop was Rio de Janeiro. From there we would take a bush plane a little south to the border of Paraguay where Alice saw Zafrina, Sienna, and Kachiri.

The plane ride was quiet as well. I sat by the window and Jake was to my left. We each had an earphone from my mp3 in. On the other side of the walkway - we were in first class and there are only two seats per row - Mom and Dad sat holding hands. Mom had a fat book in her lap and her legs were crossed indian style, her head bent over the book so that her thick brown hair spilled over the pages.

_"What is that?" _I asked Dad in my thoughts, knowing he would hear me.

He smiled. "Spanish," he said.

Beneath Mom's seat was another smaller book.

"Guarani," Dad said anticipating my next question.

Ah. Mom must have been annoyed at being out done in Italy. She's funny about stuff like that...

I sighed out of boredom. It had felt like hours and we were only almost over the Gulf of Alaska.

I stared out the window at the landscape flying by beneath us. The water was a brilliant blue, with stretching patches of ice covering it. I half listened to Beau Soir as it played softly on the mp3. I stretched my arms up above the white seat. I didn't like sitting still for to long.

I turned the beauty of the scenery over in my mind. It bewildered me. The mountains were as sire and graceful as my vampire family. I smiled to myself. We really could make it through another war. I had only been alive for one war - but, of course that's the wrong word, confrontation would be a better one - but I've heard the stories from before I was born. Oh, how I wished I was alive for some of the escapades they had overcome!

I marveled at what part I would have played in the war against the wild red haired woman's army... A decoy maybe?

Dad growled under his breath to quietly for the flight attendant who was up the hall to hear.. I rolled my eyes.

"Huh?" Mom asked. Jacob perked up a bit as if to listen in better.

"Nessie was just thinking about -" he paused looking at her expression to determine if he should tell her or not. "She was thinking about one of the stories Seth told her."

"And why would that make you angry?" Mom pressed.

"Just the situation. She was contemplating what role she she'd have played if she was alive when Victoria was. Renesmee though she might have been a decoy for..." he trailed off leaving his sentence unfinished.

Mom snarled loudly. We all turned our heads to see if the flight attendant had heard us. She had her head turned slightly toward us and she was peering at us inconspicuously through the corner of her bright blue eyes. She looked down when she felt our eyes on her.

"The reason I don't tell her these kind of things," Dad said gesturing to my mom. Mom's eyes narrowed. Jake laughed.

"You're right, it _is_ annoying," I whispered to Jacob, alluding to Dad's ability to read minds.

Jacob chuckled again and I returned my attention back to the land below us. We were over some mountain range. I spent the remainder of the fourteen hour plus plane ride staring out the window. As one could expect, I couldn't possibly sleep. I had slept for the majority of the past week.

It was as if our lives had flipped upside down within a matter of months and I now felt as if I had been dropped into one of Lewis Caroll's novels, like I was some twisted version of Alice wondering around in Wonderland.

I had always been used to this madness, or at least I thought I had.

_No, _an annoying voice said in my head. _No, You were never used to this. It's just that last time you weren't old enough to fully understand what was happening. Last time, there was hope for there not to be a fight at all, _I thought to myself._ This time there will be a fight. There must be..._

My cogitations have been getting out of hand lately. I sat there in my seat trying to be as still as my parents without reason, just for something to do.

I went back to my musings, replayed every event that had happened since that night where I got irrationally pissed off.

*~*~*

I was sitting on the back porch of our big house in Portland. I stared at the stars and wondered arbitrarily how something so small could be so big when it was close up.

We had just been in a fight, my family and I. It was just a tiny spat, but it bothered me persistently. I had merely thought about Jacob. My Dad had read my mind, and well, I guess you know how he is.

So there I was lonely on the porch with a family of nine - ten if you count Jake, and I do. It was hard to be lonely with that large of a kin, but in some way I found a way to be just that.

"Are - uh you okay, Ness?" Jacob said from behind me. I hadn't even realized he had came outside.

"Perfect," I said sarcastically and squared my shoulders to see his face.

He walked over to me and kneeled down so he was closer to my height. It goes without saying that he still towered over me, but nevertheless he was closer to my current stature.

He placed his warm hand on my cheek. It was cooler then my skin, but it was warmer than I was used to - not that I wasn't used to his presence. I ground my teeth together to keep the horrific profanities through my head from coming out of my mouth. Besides, it wasn't his fault.

"You know, I'll always be here for you. Even when they're not," he said to me in a cooing voice, the same way you would say something to an infant.

I narrowed my eyes slightly. I was resentful toward the way he spoke of my family... Like they would disappear at any time. He meant no harm though so I didn't press the point.

Without warning I felt a breeze whip the side of my face.

"What are you implying, you god damned dog?!" Dad said. His face was inches away from Jacob's and Dad glared at him menacingly.

The rest of my family stood behind Dad, all of their beautiful faces hostile - apart from my mother's. Her manner was perturbed by the current situation. No one made a move to intervene, thank the lord.

"I was just... I mean... I..." Jacob stuttered repeatedly. He was taking steps backward and Dad matched his speed. They were already halfway to the woods that grew in our backyard. I groaned and ran to the spot they were at. I stopped between the two of them.

"Cut it out. Now," I said in my best adult voice.

They both ignored me. 'Figures.

"Who was it that wanted to kill her when she was first born?" Dad said in a cruel voice.

Jacob cringed. I winced as well. "You did too," he whispered.

"'Throw it out the window?' Right Jake, sure," Dad said in that same callous voice.

"I didn't - It was different then- " Jacob broke off. He threw me an apologetic look.

Dad yelled a stream of unspeakalbe profanities. My eyes widened.

I felt a sudden rush of calmness. Jasper. I mouthed a thank you to him. He nodded once in reply.

All had grown quiet. I huffed a breath and stormed back into the house. I gave my Mom one frantic look before I blew past her. I grabbed my sweatshirt off the side table and raced out the front door.

*~*~*

_They must've got over they're differences, _I thought to myself. Dad made a face.

"Was I really that terrible?" he whispered.

"Yeah," I whispered back.

I stared out the window again. We were almost there. I could feel it.

*~*~*

When we got off the plane it was night. I fel jet lagged and woozy and Jake supported most of my weight as we stepped down the plane's stairs.

Mom stole a car and we drove to a fancy hotel. All of Rio smelled of sun and salt water - evenat night when there was no sun at all.

The hotel was huge more then eight stories high. The building was white and had a regal esque. It was called Copacabana Palace. A hokey name, sure, but the hotel was marvelous.

We had the penthouse suite. Me and Jacob spent the night exploring the halls and the suite. The penthouse had it's own terrace that faced the blue ocean - darkened with the night. The terrace had a table and five chairs that surrounded it. On the table was a bottle of wine. The lounge area had a huge plasma screen tv and antique looking chairs around it. The carpet was a rich red. Behind one of the chairs was a little end table that had a wall behind it.

In the next room there was a bedroom that was yellow with a white molding in the middle that had been intricately cut. Below the molding the wall was white. The bed in the center white. The carpet was shag and a pretty gray, a clean gray. There was a second room exactly like it, just everything was flipped.

The penthouse level had it's own wet bar and pool. Everything was gorgeous, but it better be if we were paying $310 a night.

I fell asleep in the hotel room that night infront of the tv. Jacob did too. When we woke up we had to get moving again. We woke at seven to get dressed. We were out of the hotel by eight. Dad drove our stolen car to what looked like a private airport.

"Where are we?" Jacob asked before I could.

"The Cullen's airport," Mom said.

Jacob mumbled something about rich bloodsuckers, but didn't say anything besides that in reply.

Aparrently, Dad knew how to fly a plane... Interesting.


	12. The White Phantom

The plane we were going to travel to Paraguay in was tiny. It had barely enough room for Jake, let alone the four of us, but somehow we managed. Jacob and I sat in the two seats behind the driver and passenger's. Dad flew the plane perilously fast. There were no doors, just extra tight seat belts. Jake kept his arm around my shoulders to keep me from leaning toward the lush green rainforest. It was like when you have to lean to the side every time a car turns sharply - only it was more of a constant thing.

The plane roared loudly and we had to where head sets to speak with each other, though I thought it was kinda pointless considering we weren't speaking at all.

"Yes!" Dad hissed into the headset. Mom turned her head toward him.

"What is it?" Mom said, asking the evident question.

"We found 'em. I can just barely hear Sena, but barely is enough," he answered with a grin. Mom's light auburn eyes twinkled. She leered in malicious pleasure. It was written all over her face that she was thinking about the Volturi, cowering after they saw our gathering, our army.

Dad landed the plane in an open meadow in the forest. It was just big enough to fit our aircraft. It seemed to be the only place not over bared by trees.

I had been in this forest one time before, like I told you before I was four, appearing to be seven or eight. Zafrina had called asking me to visit so, even though my mother didn't really approve, dad abided after my nagging him almost to insanity...

I fumbled with the harness until I got the latch to un-click. I shrugged my shoulders out of it and grabbed Dad's awaiting hand so he could help me jump out of the stationary plane.

I wrinkled my nose. I didn't much care for the Amazon's smell. Tangy almost, like you could taste the humidity.

A slight whooshing noise put each of us on edge. We were all now well out of the plane and standing on the mossy ground.

"We weren't expecting you," Sena said with a small smile. Kachiri was behind her, followed by Zafrina.

"I see you've brought you're malodorous friend as well," Kachiri said with her strange accent as she held her nose daintily. Jacob mocked her by saying her words in a taunting voice that had her same accent. I coughed to hide my laugh at his rude behavior. All ignored our jejuneness.

"Minha querida! Você veio para me ver! How you've grown!" Zafrina said, running toward me and in an instant hugging me tightly.

"I'm afraid we aren't here for just a visit, Zafrina," Mom said darkly.

"What have you Cullens gotten yourselves into now?" Zafrina asked, her tone still lighthearted.

"No. It is not our fault. It was already coming. We just -" I said unclearly. I broke off when I realized I couldn't explain further.

"Renesmee means that because of some of our gifts we have acquired some information... it involves the Volturi and it is absolutely critical that you trust us," Mom said with a vivid voice. She gave my dad a look that told himto continue with her proposition. Her features grew black and mysterious.

"There are more to the Voltuir than the eye can see," Dad began, emulating Mom's expression. "They are power hungry. Completely power hungry. Aro is looking to obtain each vampire with a gift-" Sena and Kachiri's eyebrows corrugated together,-"and then murder the innocent who don't have anything speacial to offer," Dad finished. Zafrina gnashed her teeth ferilly and let out a horiffic screech. I jumped and held my ears until her screeching ceased.

"When?" Zafrina growled.

"Soon. Individually. Coven by coven. Unless..." Mom said leaving her sentance unfinished and smiled sadistically.

"Unless?" Sena whispered.

"Unless we can catch the old bloodsuckers off guard and tear them to shreds before they can start their sick cataclysm," Jacob said simply, as if he were speaking of the weather.

"So, once again, you're asking for fighters," Kachiri said as her eyes narrowed.

"I don't think you understand," Dad said putting his hand on her petite shoulder - a comforting gesture. "We _didn't cause_ this. We're helping out of kindness."

Zafrina's wild eyes widened and darting from Jake, to Dad, to Mom, and then finally resting on my anamolous face.

A small red butterfly flew past Zafrina's exquizet face. She lifted her arm and snatched the poor thing with ease. She stroked the creature that lay in her palm with her middle finger.

Zafrina looked up after a second and looked into my eyes. She showed me a picture. It was me as a small child. She was staring down at me. My hand was in hers as we exchanged our pictures. A few yards away Dad and Kate stood facing my Mom. Dad cringed every few minutes...

Zafrina smiled. "I speak only for myself when I say that there is no doubt in my mind I will help you. We can save those families who don't know. It is the Volturi's turn to claim their karma."

She released the butterfly and it flew back into the vegatation.

"Of course we will assist you as well," Kachiri said motioning to herself and Sena, who nodded furiously.

Dad briefed the Amazon Coven in on the rest of the plan, including the part about the other members of our family finding other covens.

CARMEN'S POV

Eleazar and I had been awaiting Alice's word to find the Japanese. It's night time, but it still feels like day, because of the neon billboards and lights. We had been waiting in a dark alley - the only one that we could find that was concealed from the light.

Eleazar's phone rang suddenly. I reached into his shirt pocket and flipped it open.

"Alice?"

"Hey, Carmen. Everything is all ready to go! Be careful, okay. They're a bit hostile," Alice said in her trilling voice.

"Thanks so much for doing this, Alice. Where will we find them?"

"Try a sewer." Alice paused for a second. "You're already in Toyama, right?"

"Yes."

"Go down four blocks, Make a left turn into an alley and jump down the first sewer in the alley. _Please_ be wary."

"We will. I'll see you soon, Alice."

"Yes, you will. Bye Carmen."

"Bye."

"Ready?" I asked Eleazar after shutting the phone and shoving it in my purse.

"As I'll ever be, my love."

I smiled at him and grabbed his hand. We followed Alice's directions, getting only a few bewildered looks from the humans. We took the final turn into the alley.

Eleazar grimaced at the sewer he had opened.

"Ladies first?" he said with a small smile.

"Sure."

"I don't like this," he muttered, his voice obviously chagrined.

"You are always such a worry wart," I sighed before jumping into the sewer. Eleazar followed me in.

The sent of our kind was everywhere, mixed with the vile smell of sewage. We followed the sent until we ran into the Japanese vampires. There were three of them, two men, and a woman. One of the men was much older looking than the other. The first was in his late twenties, early thirties. The second male was only a little older than Renesmee. The woman was in her early twenties.

"Why are you here," the first male spat, his queer accent tugging at his English words.

"Be patient, my treasure," said the woman who stood behind him. They both were, as all of us are, unbelievably beautiful, but something about the male's face scared me. "My name is Aika. This is my husband, Raidon. And this," Aika pointed to the second boy who was next to her, "is Udo. Now, what brings you here?"

"Surely you know of the Volturi," Eleazar started.

"Yes we have heard of the coven, but we have never been face to face with them," Udo said.

Eleazar explained the rest of our situation to the group. They agreed surprisingly easily. Udo also has an extremely amazing power - complete mind control, but only on his skin, much like Kate. Quite unusual, if you ask me.

"So tell us about your strange yellow eyes," Aika said, her almond shaped eyes vast with curiosity.

I think we will be great friends with these peculiar Asians...

TANYA

"So far we've found Charles and Makenna, Peter and Chalotte, Mary, and Randall," I said into the receiver of my touch screened phone.

"You're brilliant, Tanya! Who else is there?" Edward said. There was a happiness in his voice. Even though I wish he and I would have worked out, he had his Bella and he loved her more than anything in the world, and I am happy he has found someone. I smiled, in spite of myself.

"Hardly anyone," I replied. "We'll check around France, but I don't know anyone who lives anywhere close. "

"That's great! Wonderful, really. We've got the whole Amazon Coven, and Kachiri is getting Huilen, too. We truly stand a chance."

"Edward, there was never a single doubt in my mind that we stood a chance against these braggadocio Italians. Assuredly you know that, what with the - uh, mind thing."

Edward laughed thunderously. "We'll talk to you later, Tanya. Call if you need anything."

"Not a problem. Bye, Ed," I said with a smirk.

"It's Edward, Tanya," he said, his voice going flat.

"I know, but I loathe syllables."

"Shall I call you 'Tan'?"

"Gross, no. Fine. Bye then _Edward._"

"Bye Tanya," he said laughing again.

I put the phone back in my leather purse and turned to Kate who sat in the passenger seat. Garrett was driving the car I had snatched from London. It was fast and personable and clean. Since I don't know much about cars, that seemed to fit criteria of a 'nice car'.

"You smell that?" Garrett asked. He rolled down the window cautiously. It was overcast but there were small cracks of sunlight.

"What?" Kate asked, coming out of her slouched posture.

"We got one!" I squealed. "Pull over, Garrett."

"Yep," he said pulling into a warehouse's parking lot. We were in a shabby part of France. More than shabby,ghetto actually.

"That shack," Kate pointed to a broken down house,"Is where the scent is strongest."

"Why would a vampire live in such a place?" Garrett said.

"Beats me," I said in a hushed voice.

We walked toward the shack headily. Garrett held his fist to the door, hesitated for a split second, and knocked on the door twice. We waited for at least three minutes until we grew impatient. Garrett opened the door slowly.

"Hello?" Garrett said. Kate looked over her shoulders to see inside the house. The wood floor was completely defiled. The rug was half eaten by moths. There were no lights on - Perhaps because the only lamp in the tiny front hall was broken in half. It looked like someone had flung it across the room. "Hello?" Garrett asked again.

"Oh enough of this!" Kate said and stepped inside the house. An unknown force sent her flying backward. The door slammed shut behind her. Garrett caught Kate before she could fall to the cracked cement.

"What the Hell was that?" I said quietly. How strange! There had been no one near the doorway....

Garrett walked over to the window to see if he could see anyone inside. The blind shut suddenly.

"Cool," Garrett breathed. Garrett turned to face me and Kate. "There is definitely someone in there."

"Really? I had no idea," Kate said sarcastically, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

"It's a girl, obviously a vampire. Changed at fourteen, maybe fifteen," Garrett said. "Pretty new to, by the looks of her eyes. Three or four maybe..."

I knocked again on the wood of the door. "Please let us speak to you, young one. We mean you no harm," I said in a cooing voice.

"No harm!" a bell like voice with a thick French accent said from the other side of the door. "Look what your kind did to me! He said he meant 'no harm'!"

"We can help you. I promise you we can," Garrett said. The door creaked open a crack.

I could see the girl clearly from the tiny crack. She was just under five and a half feet tall, with curly reddish brown hair.

"I am beyond help. Look." The young girl stepped towards the three of us until she stood not a foot away. She flipped her palm up and raised it, concentrating on me. I was raised upward toward the sky. "See I am a freak. Nothing more." She lowered her hand again and I was set back down.

"You're extraordinary. There are others like you. You must know that!" I said to her and grabbed her hand.

"I'm not ignorant! I'm aware of the covens! It doesn't make any of us less of a monstrosity!" she spat.

"Then you no of the Volturi," Garrett started, trying to cut to the chase. Kate elbowed him in the rib.

"Not yet. Let her calm down," she muttered under her breath.

"Everyone knows of the Volturi," the girl said rolling her bright red eyes. "What are your names? Where are you from? Why are you here?"

"May name is Tanya. This is Kate and Garrett. "

"What is your name, child?" Kate asked.

"Michele Blancfantôme," she said, the words saturated in her timbre.

"White Phantom?" Garrett asked with a smirk. Michele's eyes narrowed.

"Cruel coincidence."

"It's not a very common name," Garrett mumbled.

"Why do you live here? In this terrible area?" Kate asked.

"It's safer. For the humans, you know? And it gives me a place to practice."

"Practice what?" I asked, releasing her hand.

"My gift," Michele said simply. She glanced embarrassedly at the broken lamp behind her. "But you've not answered my other questions! Why are you from and why are you here?"

"We're from Denali, Alaska. We are here because we need fighters. The Volturi have gone power hungry. This endangers every vampire. Especially gifted ones. There is going to be a war and we need warriors. There are a group of particularly compassionate family of vampires that will welcome you, as they would welcome anyone, and help you with everything. Your gift and bloodlust."

"I never said anything about blood," Michele whispered.

"It was implied," Kate said with a raised eyebrow.

Michele clicked her tongue. "I suppose."

"How about it then? Will you help us?" I asked.

"I feel this gut feeling that you and this other family you speak of are some of the kindest people I'll ever meet. I don't have a clue why, because, quite honestly, you seem kind of stalker-ish. But I tend to go with my notions and things always seem to turn out right so... yes. I will help you defeat this coven," Michele said.

Her unarticulated words were so significant that they seemed to hang in the air for several minutes.

We exchanged our histories in the car and the rest of the way back to Alaska where we were going to meet up with the others. Michele seemed hot headed at first, but she truly was a normal, almost carefree teenager.

RENESMEE

Zafrina and the rest of her coven, including Huilen were at the hotel packing everything back into the suit cases. All of us were taking the same flight back to Alaska - that out to be interesting- right after we got each of them some contacts to where. People would freak if they saw a bunch of tall, beautiful, red-eyed creatures walking around an airport.

Yeah, if I wasn't in the know I would freak out, too...


	13. Practice

"Ugh. What time are Garrett, Kate, and Tanya getting back," I groaned to Alice. I was leaning on the Denali's breakfast bar and Alice was flitting around, completely consumed in her preparations for our future company. Jacob was on the phone with Billy, filling him in on the past events.

"Renesmee, I have told you a hundred times already. They'll be here by sundown. Promise," she said only turning her head to look at me for a second.

I had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the French vampire that Kate had told my father about. She seemed amazingly interesting...

"What about Carmen and Eleazar?"

"You really need to stop being so repetitive. They found the Japanese days ago so they'll be here in a few hours."

I heard an unnatural coming from the front door. I turned my head groggily. My eyes brightened. Zafrina was back from her hunting trip.

I half-skipped to her and grabbed her hand. Jacob watched with a disquieted expression. He was trying to be inconspicuous about it, but the worry was visible on his face.

I showed Zafrina one of my childhood memories as she showed me her waterfall that she, Kachiri, and Sena linger around. It was as beautiful as all her pictures. I wasn't at all uncomfortable with the blindness. I guess I enjoyed being able to feel a gift relatively close to my own.

Kachiri and Sena were with Zafrina the whole time, as always, but it was easy to forget they were there. The pictures played on end, back and forth, back and forth.

I couldn't help to fall asleep to her calming, peaceful illusions. I had nodded off on her shoulder, for I hadn't let go of her hand.

"Oh Deus!" I heard someone shout. I sat up, shaken. I hadn't even remembered falling asleep...

Everyone in the room, even a few curious unknown faces, rushed over to hover worriedly. Dad was the only one who remained calm.

"Just a frightening memory," he muttered from the kitchen where he leaned idly on the counter. Dad said his words only just loud enough to hear from my place on the sofa.

"What memory, sweetheart?" Mom asked, taking a seat next to me. I went to show her by placing my hand on hers but Zafrina caught it before I could reach her.

"What?" I asked her.

"Everyone is curious," Zafrina said, gesturing to the others. "Why don't you let me show them?"

There were a few gasps. I saw what Zafrina was showing them as well. Myself retching on the ground, clutching my rib, as I glared up at little Jane.

I made a face. It's no one's business but my own really. And there needn't be any worry. I'm in perfect health now.

"I'm fine," I said under my breath. Jacob was closest to me. His eyes were burning. He lifted my arms and stared at them, and then my face and neck. He seemed to be looking for bruises injuries.

I yanked my arms from him. "I'm _fine_," I repeated in a louder voice.

Jacob sighed and placed his warm hand on my forehead. I slapped it away automatically. "Honest. I'm perfect!"

Jacob then stood up and turned to my father.

_Not Again._

Jake just slammed his shoulder into Dad's as he walked to the back door. Jacob was already pulling off his shirt as he walked into the frosted forest.

It was hard to ignore our gorgeous stranger spectators. They all watched each member of my family curiously. There were the Asians Alice had seen, a extremely pale girl – even more so than the usual vampire – with curly brown hair and wide red eyes that seemed to be a nomad for she seemed to keep to herself, Ben and Tia (to my surprise I remember every person who witnessed for us those many years ago), Charles and Makenna, Stephan and Vladimir, Randall, Mary, and the Irish coven. There were also a handful of people I hadn't really bothered to notice. They seemed average – if a vampire could be average - and civilized, but paid little attention to our exchange.

I lifted a hand meekly in greeting at our guests. A few struggled to stifle a laugh.

"My, she has grown," Tia said quietly to Ben.

"Yes," Ben replied.

No one said anything else on the subject. I talked with a few people, showing them things they had been interested in, or explaining my history to the few who didn't already know it.

One particular conversation stood out. The girl I had noticed before was talking seriously to Ben, Ben who was always so happy, about strategies and gifts.

I walked over to them shyly.

"Hi Renesmee," Ben said indifferently.

"Hey. How do you guys know each other?" I asked politely. I smiled at the girl.

"We don't," the girl said. "My name is Michele." She held out her hand. I shook it warmly.

"Renesmee Cullen," I said.

"Oh I already know who _you _are. As I'm sure everyone does. I've just been a bit slow about meeting you. I became a vampire only two and a half years ago." I had just noticed the natural pull in her words. French, no doubt.

"You're quite tame, then, for being so young."

"I suppose."

"So if you do not know each other, than you must have a reason to be discussing gifts and such," I said, turning half way to see Benjamin's boyish face.

"As unlikely as it would seem, Michele appears to have a similar knack to mine. Hers is telepathy. I can move elements as well, but not objects."

"Telepathy? That's too much science fiction to believe," I said. "Can I see it?"

"I'm not terribly good at it," she said, but began to focus in on the set of car keys on the counter. Michele flipped her palm so it faced the tall ceiling and then flicked her wrist toward herself. The set of keys flew at our small group. I dodged them before they could hit me. She caught them effortlessly.

"Fascinating," I breathed, standing back up from my squat.

"Isn't it?" Ben said rhetorically.

A few had noticed, but didn't comment. To vampire there are no abnormities. You can't expect anything, and that's the how I want it to stay.

Some of our company practiced gifts outside, including Mom, even though she'd almost perfected her shield. Kate still was trying to project, unsuccessfully, I'm afraid. One of the Asian men, Udo, the younger of the two, had some kind of mind control, but it was only through skin contact, but still very useful. Zafrina didn't bother practicing. She was already great at what she did. Siobhan and Grandpa further discussed Siobhan's possible power, which seemed to be more and more possible by day. It had been raining and Zafrina had wanted it to stop and it had. It could have been luck. It could have been more. Emmett and Jasper helped others practice fighting. Jake already alerted the wolves, most of which were still in Forks, including Jake's pack, and they were all eager t help.

It would appear I'm the only one who can't help. I usually sat thinking about how we should be spending summer break in somewhere warm and dry, unlike freezing Alaska.

Later one night, when almost everyone was out hunting I confronted Dad about the matter. We were on the Denali's second floor. Dad had been looking through Eleazar's books.

"Are you insane?! You can't fight! You can't be anywhere near the mountain range where Alice sees the fight. You'd be the most obvious target," was his frustrated reply to a simple question. I had only asked how I could help.

"I could stay with Mom," I said in a hushed tone.

"Bella's shield isn't physical, Renesmee! You know that. Who put these crazy ideas into your head?"

"No one… but everyone s practicing so hard."

"You're only job is to stay out of trouble," he said placing his hand on my cheek.

"Yeah, 'cause that's so easy," I said rolling my eyes.


	14. Games and Confusion

A/N: Hey guys I know you're not used to me doing author's note, but I felt I needed to thank everyone who reads this story. Without you I would have never stayed committed to writing. Your reviews make me feel as if I'm the most loved person in the world, so know that every time you click the little button at the end of each chapter you're making someone in the world feel extraordinary. I almost quit last night. I stayed up until four in the morning typing this chapter and my computer deleted it. But I looked at my review page and one from a reader, HallieAnn Lissette (don't be mad if I spelled this wrong) gave me the encouragement to retype this. Anyways this version is more suspenseful and intense, so I guess it was for the best. I'm sorry for boring you all. Let's get back to Renesmee.

Love,

Hailee

PS: Sorry. Soccer's the easiest for me to do. You'll see…

* * *

I wouldn't press that subject again. The next few days were uneventful. A few strangers would show up here and there, asking if we would like their help, and, as you already know, we always did. Alice would get flickers of the Volturi coming down a mountain, of which she pointed out to Dad, like a black gray wave.

Emmett, who complained about being bored on a daily basis, had been itching to play a game, any kind of game as long as it was a sport; "It'd be freaking awesome!" he'd exclaimed. I had to agree. There were over forty vampires here! Jake had wanted to have the game, as well.

They nagged Tanya and Grandpa, the unsaid leaders of our covens, until they abided.

"You must wait until Alice gives you the word," Grandpa had headed.

"ALICE!" Emmett yelled. I don't quite understand his need to be so loud! We all have amazing hearing.

"WHAT! Oh." She replied from the third floor. I blinked twice and she was next to me.

"You can play tonight at five."

"Yes!" Emmett hissed.

"What game?" I asked.

"Soccer!" Alice and Emmett said in unison.

"Okaaaay."

"You're on my team," Emmett called behind him as he ran off to find others that wanted to play.

"Sure."

Vampires. Can't live with 'em. Can't live without 'em.

~*~*~

"Emmett and Ben are captains. There are no fouls. Only one person on each team can touch the ball for more than three seconds. The goal on that side is where Emmett's team can score. That goal is where Benjamin's team scores. No out of bounds. Carmen and Tia are reffs. I think that's all… Oh, and watch Renesmee and Jacob, they're fragile. Fair enough?" Dad explained to the lot of us who sat on the mountain side. Almost everyone had played. Raidon of the Japanese, Liam, and the Romanians were the only ones who didn't participate.

It was Ben's pick first. "Peter!" he shouted. Peter waltzed over to him and clapped him on the back.

"Edward," Emmett said. No surprise there.

The process continued until there was no one left on the ground. I was on Emmett's team, as he had said I would be. Alice was our goalie. Ben's was Randall.

After a few minutes, Tia stepped in the middle of the mile long field. "Is everyone ready?" she asked. A few of us nodded. "Go!" she shouted, throwing the ball she had in her hand in the air, just before she ran to the other side of the field to avoid being clobbered.

Ben's team had possession first. Garrett dribbled down the field with blinding speed. He was going straight toward Alice. Alice braced herself, and then took off running toward Garrett. Alice did a tuck flip, and when she was nearest to the ground she grabbed the ball. When she landed on her heals she cart wheeled, ball in hand, and whipped it to Emmett. Emmett kicked it to Dad who passed it to Jake who passed it to Mary who shot it in.

There was a roar of cheers from our team, in which I joined happily.

"One to Zero!" Carmen called.

The ball was put back in the center of the field.

"Damned leeches are hard t keep up with," Jacob huffed next to me.

"Tell me about it," I laughed.

Ben's team had kick off. I lost focus for only a half a second and I had lost the ball.

"Crap," I murmured.

"C'mon, Nessie!" I hear Mom say.

All I saw was a blur of brown hair and white skin and blue cashmere and I was on Mom's shoulders.

I laughed as Mom stole the ball from Aika.

We played for hour and hours on end until the weather became unbearable, even for a vampire. If it were up to me we would have never stopped.

But the temperature had dropped below zero and the hail was coming down in shards. The wind blew so hard that I could hear it's every turn and whip. Even my toasty one ten degree skin was beginning to feel chilled.

It all happened after everyone was inside. Our whole coven was going hunting except for Alice, Dad, Mom, and myself., Maggie, Jake, Michele, and I were in the foyer conversing casually. I held a cup of some hot hazelnut drink. I've lately discovered that human food isn't _all_ bad.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Alice sitting on the ground and looking at her hands that lay in her lap. She was weeping dryly. The scene would break anyone's heart. Dad was standing next to her. He looked down at her with a mixture of horror and shock. Mom was staring at him with a confused expression. She held his face between her hands. Maggie continued to speak, but the world had seemed to go silent and all I could here was my Mother speaking.

"What is it, love? Look at me, darling! Edward!" she said frantically. Dad's eyes never left Alice's face.

He looked to Mom's face slowly, blankly, like he had been looking for her. He wrapped his arms around her waist.

She pulled away from him. "What is it?" she asked.

I pulled on Jacob's hand. "Jake," I managed to choke out. I jerked my head toward Mom and Dad.

"Uh oh," he said sarcastically. "Looks like Mommy and Daddy are fighting," he smiled arrogantly. Yeah, he can be a jerk sometimes.

"You're so obnoxious! Look at them! It's obviously something they're worried about! I can tell. It's important," I hissed.

"Okay. Cool you're jets, kid. I'm sure everything's -" He cut off after looking to where Mom, Alice, and Dad were. His eyes widened. "Fine," he breathed, finishing his sentence. "Alright. C'mon," he said, pulling my arm towards Mom and Dad.

"Excuse us," I blurted out to Michele and Maggie, whose expressions were almost as confused as I felt. Jacob was close to dragging me, not because I was resisting him, but because his unusually fast paced strides were extremely hard for me to match.

"What is it, Bells?" Jake asked when we were next to the group.

"Oh, Jacob! I dunno! I can't get a word out of them."

I kneeled down so I was at Alice's level. "Now listen here, Alice. You are going to tell us what's going on. Now."

Alice looked up at me. Her eyes looked tired. Probably from her sobbing. She nearly tackled me with her hug. "Oh, Nessie. How could you? Why would you? I'm so sorry! "

What the hell was she talking about?


	15. Two Months

"What? Alice, c'mon. We don't need a riddle, here. We need answers!" Jacob said slamming his fist on the table in front of her.

"Let's take this upstairs," Mom said quietly, letting her eyes touch the face's of our onlookers.

Dad and Alice resisted moving to the next floor, but Mom got them to anyway. See. Stuborness can come in handy. We helped Alice to the chair in the study. She sat down slowly.

"Nessie," she began with a sigh. "You-you tried to fight. Why the hell would you do that?! Are you suicidal?! Are you so desperate to tear apart your family? To put everyone in termoil? What about my brother and sister, your parents! What about Jacob? What about-"

"Wait!" I yelled cutting her off. "I wasn't plotting anything! I promise! But, Alice, you can't see me!"

"No, Renesmee. I cannot see you clearly, but I get little peeks of your future. Only the big events," she paused to glare at me. "You're death seems to be catastrophic enough," she snapped.

I choked on my own breath of air.

"I can see your funeral, Ness! YOUR FUNERAl!" she continued.

"You'd better be joking!" Jacob yelled at her. He walked closer to here agressively. Dad came out of his shocked state in a sixteenth of a second. He was in front of Alice in half of that time.

"You don't touch her!" Dad growled.

Jacob looked from my mother to my father to my aunt repeatedly. He finally ended up closing the distance between himself and me. He wrapped me in a hug tightly.

"I won't let anything get you, honey," he said into my hair. I felt a look of shock frozen on my face.

I could hear Mom's bawling, but I didn't dare looking at her. I didn't want to fall apart, and all it would take is one look at her beautiful face.

"But I wasn't going to do anything! Read my mind!" I demanded from my father.

"There are ways to lie to your mind," Dad said flatly.

How can they not understand?

"What if it's a plan? Edward, you've said so yourself. Aro knows Alice's power better than Alice herself! What if the plan was to provoke her in a way so horrible that her reaction was inevitable?" Mom asked through her dry weeping.

Alice had her face burried in her knees. She looked up slowly from her possition. "Admit it, Edward. Bella could be right about this."

Mom's eyes lit up. "Yes, Edward. I very well could be," she said with a smile.

"That doesn't put Renesmeee in any less danger!" Dad snarled.

"But now you know it isn't my fault. I'm not stupid, guys. Not stupid enough to fight some of the best warriors in our world," I said matter-of-factily.

"And we know someone's gotta watch Nessie at all times," Jacob said.

"I'm fighting! I vote Jacob babysits," Mom said quickly. I stuck my tongue out at her. Babysit! How I despise that demented word!

"Hey now-" Jacob started.

"I vote the same!" I said, interupting Jake before he could say no.

"Me too," Dad said.

"Me three!" Alice said with a grin apon her pixie-like face. "Everything's already better," she said. "Good job, Jacob. I can't see anything."

"We're staying within eyeshot of the fight. I wanna be able to jump in and help if I'm needed. Ness can stay out of trouble if she tries really hard. Right, Nessie?" Jake asked.

"Right," I comfirmed.

"Hey, Carlisle and everyone else is home," Dad said before running downstairs.

Dad got everyone including our guests rallied up to tell them about our newly aqquired information.

"It has been called to our attention," he said confidently pausing to look at his audience,"that the Volturi have also been planng for a fight. We don't know how they could have already've known, but that means we've lost the element of surprise. They've been using some of our gifts to their own advantage," he paused again looking to Alice, whose gaze suddethnly darted to the floor, "and also using some of our more obvious targets as areas to cause issues. To scare us, so to speak."

Alice stopped him from continuing by standing up and putting her little hand on his shoulder. "I've been keeping this from you," she whispered to him. "Two months!" Alice said in a loud ringing voice. "Two months you all have to prepare yourselves. There's not been a battle like this ever. I've seen it. None of you could imagine the scene, not even in your darkest nightmares. Life as we know it will change forever after this war. May it be for better or for worse. The outcome is still up in the air. Know that some will be lost! Know that some will cower! Even thoughs who seem to be the strongest will flee in the end... Two months," Alice said in the loud voice again. "Two months," she whispered, "and we're at war."

I swear a human could've heard a pin drop.

...

Alice's message was sent loud and clear. Their were cowards among us; know one dared to ask her who. And some would be lost. Murdered by one of those damned, demons no doubt. Why couldn't the Volturi have been alright with the power they've already had? Why did they have to overthrow the Romanians at all?

These were the exact thoughts I was trying to avoid. I had my head bent over a fat Harry Potter book. Might as well be consumed in someone else's supernatural war, I thought to myself with a smirk.

Jake and I were going to take a flight down to Forks later, to get all the wolves informed. They'd be excited abput the fight. I rolled my eyes. They were all such children, risking their lives like that. Of course, I love them all as if they were my whole family, but they were so soft compared to vampires! So breakable. I was going to get to see Grandpa Charlie, though. I perked up a little at the thought. He was so good hearted. He let us tell him a little more at a time about our world. He was worried for me, mostly. Understandable, I guess, given my naive and un-moster appearance- wide eyes, heart shaped face, tousled reddish brown hair that flowed down my back.

It was almost two a.m., but I couldn't get to sleep even though the Denali's guest bedroom had one of the softest mattress I'd ever felt.

Alice's word still hung in the air. How did the Volturi find out about our gathering so soon?How odd. I knew the leaders of the covens had already formed a plan about getting the Volturi in Denali, but I wasn't sure about the details.

I jumped when I heard my door creak.

"Hey," Mom said quietly. "You're dad was going to come up and check on you, but I told him I would. What's wrong, baby? Why aren't you asleep? Are they being too loud? I could-"

"No, Mom, I'm fine. Alice, err, got me shook up pretty bad earlier."

"Yes she and your father scared the life out of me." I raised my eyebrows. It was silly hearing her say that, considering her immortality. She chuckled, realizing how funny her words actually sounded. "Last time I saw him in such a state a shock was when he found out I was-" she trailed off smiling.

"You were what?"

"Never mind. Lights out, kid," she said, turning off the lamp on the nightstand.

"'Kay. 'Night."

"'Night," she said before shutting the door.

A funny thing, total darkness. Nature's sleeping drug, as it were.


	16. Forks

Only got 1 review 4 capter 15 ={So now im going to start being evil. I really want at least five reviews b4 i post again. No one ever said bribery was illeagal... OR DID THEY??? BUM BUM BUM ={ Guess that means I'm an outlaw.

Love,  
Hailee Christine (don't know why i felt like putting my middle name up)  
I don't own twilight! That should be obvious because my name is Hailee Christine and not Stephenie Morgan =P ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

In the morning Jake and I woke up at the break of dawn. We bid our fairwells to everyone before getting on the plane. The ride seemed like nothing after our trip to Rio.

As we got off the plane I could see Grandpa already. He was beaming. I walked over to him and he embraced me. He, Jacob, and I caught up on human things as we walked to Grandpa Charlie's car.

"I haven't see you in forever!" he said in the car, looking at me through the rear view mirror. "Growing faster than a weed," he said and then turned a bit to talk to Jacob, who sat in the passenger seat. "So yer Dad's been telling me a little more about this craziness," he muttered, avoiding eye contact.

"Yeah?" Jacob egged.

"So, I know there's some kinda... war. You know I hate talkin' 'bout this stuff s let's cut to the chase. If you need a place for her to stay, I'm always free."

"Thanks, Charlie. But she is waaay safer with us. Trust me."

"If you say so," Grandpa said, looking at me through his rearview again. "You look so much like your mom," he said with a sigh.

I smiled. "So what else did Billy tell you?"

"I rather not talk about it," he said, cringing a little at my teeth. Huh.

"Okey doke."  
"So we're gonna head up to the rez later. S'that okay?" Jake asked.

"No problem. You dad misses you like hell."

"Yeah. He's alone too much these days."

"So how's Bella and Edward?" Grandpa Charlie asked.

"Holdin' up. They're both stressed about the company up in Alaska."

"Alaska? Thought you were all living in Portland."

"Were. Due to recent events we've had to relocate to somewhere with more blo-," he stuttered when I had given him a death stare,"I mean somewhere with more of Carlisle's family. You remember Tanya from the wedding, right?"

"It would be very hard not to forget them," Grandpa said with a shudder.

Jacob laughed. "Well, we're living with them and and they have a lot of company over . I mean alot of company."

"Tanya and her family are some of the most hospitable people you'll ever meet. They love company. More the merior and all that jazz," I interjected.

"Sure, sure."

Grandpa pulled into the driveway.i jumped out of the backseat as quickly as I could. I loved this little house, nestled in my favorite little town. It was raining, as it always seemed to be here. I could feel my hair frizzing already, but I didn't care.

I dashed into the house and ran upstairs and down the miniscule hallway into my mom's old room. I always stayed here when I visited. It was my favorite room in the world. Some nights, when I was a child, and we sill lived in Forks, Mom and me would stay up here and she'd tell me stories. I peered out the window from the rocking chair in the corner.

I remembered one story very clearly. I was sitting on my mother's lap, appearing to be five, even though I was only two, as we sat in the same rocking chair I sat in now...

... FLASHBACK FROM RENEsMES POV her current age

"There was a point in time," Mom had said, clutching at her torso, as if it was reflexivly, "when your daddy wasn't here to protect me. Jacob and I became friends, best friends even. We had no secrets, except for one..."

"That Daddy was a vampire," I said in my young, high voice. I was deeply pleased with my own cleverness.

"Yes, love, that Daddy was a vampire," Mom said. "Well, one day Billy told your Grandpa that Jacob was sick. I waited for weeks to see him again, but I decided that Jacob couldn't be so sick that he wouldn't even call me back, so I marched right down to La Push and demanded to see him. That's whem Jacob told me we couldn't be friends. He had cut off his hair and appeared to be bigger, like he had grown years' worth. It scared me. I deemed it Sam and his cult's fault."

"I don't like Sam, Mommy," I interupted again.

"I never really liked him either, Ness," Mom said with a laugh. "He means well. So I left La Push in frustration. I couldn't make sense of anything. That night, I heard fingernails scraping at my window," Mom said pointing out the marks left on her window. "This was still when Victoria was hunting me, mind you. I was human, but I tried to be brave. I covered my mouth so Charlie woldn't hear and come check on me. There was a chance he could survive." I remember shuddering. "Then I hear a voice call from outside. But not the one I was expecting. 'Dammit Bella!' Jacob had said. He had come to explain what had happened. He had said that he had already told me the secret of what he had become. I thought long and hard about what he had told me... and that night I dreamt of werewolves. The End. Now go to sleep," she said, kissing my forehead.

... OVER

The bed time stories she told me were the best in the world. It made them even better that they were true. Mom never really had anyone to tell her stories to before me. Who would beleive her and everyone in our family would probably have already known.

I sighed out of laxidaisicalness. I sifted through my suitcase for something more appropriate for summer in Forks. I was still in the jeans and sweater that I was wearing since I left Alaska. I pulled out a thin wind breaker as well.

I ran down the stairs to find Jacob passed out on the couch. I was glad he'd gotten a chance to sleep. He hadn't found time to rest in a while. Now I also had a chance to go where I wanted alone.

I found my grandfather in the kitchen wisteling while washing the dishes.

"Grandpa?"

He jumped. "Oh," he said breathing heavily. He had his hand on his throat. "Nessie, I hadn't even heard you come down," he said. "Whatchya need, kid?"

"Nothing. I was just wondering if I could go for a walk."

"Go ahead. Not to far now."

"I won't go far," I lied. "I've got my dad's cell on me, if I need to be home or anything. Do you still have the number."

"Yup. See you later, Ness."

"Bye," I said just before letting the screen door slam behind me. I had to walk, obviously, because I can't drive, but it was a pretty long way to my old home.

"Might as well get going," I said to no one but the trees. 


	17. Old Friends

Screw bribing you. Let's just get on with the story. Long chapter cus I got outa school early cus weather in Forks is so bad rightt now. *wink wink* But really school was let out because of roads and snow and crap so here ya go. This chapters a little tedious to go through but its important so deal. The sooner you R&R the sooner the fight'll be up!  
Love you guys,  
Hailee ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

I walked down the familiar road, concentrating on remembering the route we took to Grandpa's when I was little. I stared at the street signs trying to remember where the main interstate road was that led to the house.

I felt like I could be almost half way there when I tripped and landed on my face. I was extremely frustrated with my sudden clumsiness. I stood up slowly, and looked at my hands that were now covered in dirt. I brushed them of on my wind breaker, and then wiped the dirt off my face.

"Hey, are you okay?" a woman's voice said. I looked up quickly. A young woman, a man, and a child. The woman was short and had dark brown hair and saphire colored eyes. She looked to be in her mid-twenties. The man who was with her was blonde, with a babyish face, and blue eyes, but they were lighter than the lady's. They each had a ring on their left hand and there was a baby sleeping in the stroller.

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine, thanks," I replied quickly. I began to walk away. I could here the couple whispering behind me. I tried to look behind my shoulder inconspicuosly.

"Looks just like Edward Cullen!" I heard the woman hiss.

"Imposible! It's been only a few years! They couldn't have a teenager!"

"But she looks like Bella, too! She has her eyes."

"Excuse me!" the woman said turning her head. "Are you related to the Cullens?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowed.

I turned to look at them. "Yes actually. My name's Renesmee. Bella and Edward Cullen are my parents," I said with a smile. It was fun to make their narrow human minds reel with scandal.

I almost laughed at the look of shock on the man's face. "How do you know my parents?" I asked.

"We went to high school with them," the woman said. "I'm Jessica, this is my husband, Mike, and our little girl, Anna." She said her child's name with pride.

"Tell Bella and the Cullens we said hi," Mike said dismissively. I noticed how he hadn't said my fathers name, and there was the teeniest bit of grudge and regret in his words.

"Are they in town?" Jessica asked, even though Mike obviously wanted to leave.

"No. It's just me."

"Oh. Please send our regards then."

"Sure. Hey, would you happen to know where the Cullens used to live?"

"Somewhere off the 101 interstate. Do you know where Bogachiel Way is?"

"Yeah. Thanks."

"No problem."

With that the couple walked away. I shook my head in disbelievment. This town was so small!

I stuck to the forest after that. I could see the interstate through the trees and I followed it until I caught our cottage's scent. It was less potent then I remembered it from lack of our presence.

I opened the small door to our little house slowly. We hadn't really packed when we left; we had no reason to. But there were a few sentimental things I didn't take with me when I was little that I wanted to. They were small things. Unimportant.

I walked into my old nursery and walked to the corner. It was filled with cobwebs and spiders, but I could see the large diamond through it all.

I cringed as I reached through the cobwebs as a spider crawled up onto my hand. "Ew!" I shriked as it crawled on my skin. I shook it off as quickly as I could. I reached quicker this time into the grime and grabbed the snake like chain.

I held it to the window and it threw sparkles all over the room. I sighed. It was the necklace Aro had gave my mother as a wedding gift. It hadn't left that spot since the last time we were troubled by the Volturi.

I pulled a small black cloth from my pocket and folded the necklace in it carefully, just before I stuffed it in my pocket.

I then walked slowly into my parent's room, and then into there closet.

There had to be some kind of tote in here somewhere! "Ah ha!" I said, pulling out a big blue Vera Wang bag.

"Thanks again, Alice!" I whispered. I grabbed some of the rare CDs off Dad's shelf and stuffed them into the bag, along with the contents of my pockets: the cell phone, a couple of twenties, the necklace, and an old plane ticket.

I picked up the bag and began to walk out of the house. I was about to take off to go to our main home, but I stopped suddenly. My eyes watered, for reasons I cannot explain. There was a small, random patch of blue bell flowers in the garden. I remembered sitting in the grass my mother picking them and fashoning little intricate flower head peices from them as Dad would watch with the most exaulting smile I'd ever seen.

I leaned down and picked one of the little flowers and placed it carefully in the bag.

I then took off running to our larger, more extravagent house. There was hardly anything there, except for precious pictures. They didn't mean much to my family, because they have photographic memories. My memory isn't so perfect.

I took the small albums from the drawer we stored them in. I flipped through them fondly, and then put them in my bag, which was now pretty heavy...

The walk home to Grandpa's was quiet. I hoped Jake hadn't woken up yet. I walked through the front door, only just now realizing I was completely drenched.

"Where were you?" Jacob asked from the living room.

"Out," I said nonchalantly. I walked into the room he was in, and twisted my hair theatrically.

"I can see that," he said rolling his eyes.

"Where's Charlie?" I asked.

"Work. He was called in unexpectedly."

"He's getting a bit old to still be doing police work..."

"Naw... Where did you get that bag? I've never seen it before."

"I kinda, sorta went to our old house," I said quietly. I knew I didn't do anything wrong, but Jake would be angry that I went so far alone.

"For what? I could've come with you. You shouldn't go so far by yourself!" he said in a slightly frustrated tone.

"You were asleep. Who am I to wake you up during your first rest in weeks?"

"A half human-half vampire child that needs to stay put." I rolled my eyes. He takes everything so litterally...

I opened my mouth to reply, but decided it was best to change the subject. "When are we going to La Push?"

"Whenever you're good to go."

"How about now?"

"Sure, sure. You wanna run?"

"Mhm."

~*~*~

Getting to La push, though it was closer to our Forks house, was much faster than my last trip.

When we walked into Billy's he embraced both of us, but i knew he wanted to be alone with Jake for a spell. I told Jacob and Billy that i would be on the beach.

It was warmer out than it had been, and the rain was barely at a drizzle. All in all, nice weather... for Forks.

I remembered suddenly Dad's orders to call as soon as the plane landed. I was in so much trouble!

I pulled the phone from my pocket and called Tanya's home phone.

"Hello?" said an unfamiliar voice.

"Hey. Uhm, this is Nessie. Is my dad there?" I asked in an unsure voice.  
l "Hold on."

"Hi, Ness," Dad said.

"Hi. Who was I just talking to?"

"His name is Olexi. He came in from Russia yesterday, after you left. He was closest to the phone."

"Oh. Sorry, I forgot to call after the plane landed."

"It's alright. Where are you now?"

"First Beach. Jacob's at Billy's and later we're going to get all the wolves and have a little meeting," I explained.

"What is Charlie doing?"

"He's at work."

"You be good, okay? I'm sorry your mother and I couldn't come with you."

"I'm fine," I said simply.

"Good. I'll see you soon."

"Yeah."

I sighed and shut the phone when I heard the dial tone. I decided to walk in the water for a while. I took off my shoes and stepped in the soft sand. Everything felt like de' javue. Like I remembered walking here, but couldn't put my finger on with who or when.

"Renesmee?" I heard a voice behind me. I whirled around. Seth!

"Hi, Seth!" I squeeled.

"'My god, you're big."

"Gee thanks," I said sarcastically, but couldn't hide my grin.

I coudn't help myself. I ran up to Seth and hugged him tightly. Seth is one of the nicest, warmest people I've ever met - and I've met alot of people.

After I released him, he asked, "So how old are ya? You look almost my age!"

"Seven," I laughed. It seemed absurd; that I should really be a young child.

"They weren't kidding when they said you were growing up fast," Seth said as we began to walk in the opposite direction of Billy's house.

"Nope," I said, leaning down to grab a rock and flinging it across the ocean. "Your taller than I remember too, but you haven't grown up any. That's evident."

Seth scoffed and leaned down and skipped his rock. It went several yards further than mine had. I frowned.

"So how's Leah?" I asked. I didn't really care how Leah was, but I asked out of courtessy and politeness.

"Leah's... Leah."

I laughed at his grimace. "How 'bout your mom? Is she doing okay?" Sue I cared about.

"She's doing well. Very pleased that some of the monsters have left Forks, actually," Seth said with a sheepish grin.

"So. Seth can you be serious for a second?"

"No can do." When he saw my expression he ammended his answer to a simple, "Yes."

"You aren't nervous for the fight in Alaska?"

"Not in the least." I grimaced. That wasn't the answer I'd been looking for. I knew the wolves - though immature and childish - were strong and fast as any other vampire. It was just that they breathed, they bled. Somehow they seem more human and fragile, even if their wolf form is five times my size.

"C'mon. What about Sue?" I asked. I wasn't particularly good at guilting people into things, but it was worth a shot.

Seth laughed. "I'm no push over like Jake, Nessie. You must of forgotten that. My mom'll be fine. She's used t0 all this."

We sat on a big fallen drift wood tree trunk as waited for Jacob, trying to out do each other in how far we could toss the stones. We conversed lightly on the new people we'd met in the last 7 or so years. Seth hadn't had much to say. There aren't really many new people in La Push. He was a little bummed that he hadn't imprinted on anyone yet, especially after all this time, but it wasn't enough to bring him down as it would anyone else. You see, Seth is one of the only wolves without an imprint... but Seth doesn't yet need the emotional support that the others do. He still thinks that being a werewolf destined to hunt out vamps was awesome. Soon enough he would grow out of his happy-go-lucky persona soon enough. When I verbalized that thought he shied away from it with a nervous laugh.

Just as we slipped into a bit of an awkward silence a door slammed behind us. We both turned quickly to see what the slam came from. We couldn't see, or at least I couldn't see; Seth probably could - the source of the sound, but I was sure it came from Billy's. Jacob must be on his way out. This meant that we were on our way to Emily's.

I surpressed a sigh. Some of the wolves liked me. Some being the operative word in that last particular sentance. 


	18. Emily and the Wolf Pack

Jacob, Seth, and I took the short walk to Emily's. There was no point in driving with such nice weather and distance. I didn't want to take a car, anyways.

While we walked Jacob and Seth were always slightly behind me. When we got to Emily's I hesitated at the door. Emily had always thought I as a threat to her and her wolf pack family.

Jacob sighed and took the closed the few paces between him and me. He rested his hand on my head for a second before knocking on the door.

Sam answered the door, delight spreading across his face, that is, until, he looked down to see me. His expression dulled a bit to a sort of annoyance I didn't fully understand.

There is always an obviously tense atmosphere when Sam and Jacob are together. Jake says it's because, even though they resolved the matter of having two packs, which is a completely different story, that Jacob still has a bit of the Alpha in him and it makes their personality clash. If no part of them were human, were they all wolf, they'd've attacked one another by now. The thought made me shudder.

Sam ushered us in through the grayish doorway. All of the... elders, I guess you could call them, of the pack were there, including Leah, awaiting Jacob's arrival. They were all exhuberant that Jacob was back. They acted as if Jacob was home. That annoyed me. I admit, I'm possesive over Jacob, but don't I have a right to be? Jacob belongs with me. I'm home where he is, and he's home where I am. Not in La Push. The rez wasn't his home anymore! He'd made that desicion years ago.

I could hear a courus of greedings meant for Jake around me.

"Hey... Renesmee?" a voice said, Quil Atera, meaning to sound like a greeting. His voice interupted my thoughts. I relized my eyes had seemed to glaze over and stare blankly at the floor.

"Hi," I muttered embaressedly. I glanced aroun the rom quickly. Emily was washing dishes, Sam was leaning against the kitchen counter, and the rest of the pack was huddled around Jake and me. Everyone was bumbarding Jacob with questions about the fight. It was quite irritating, being in the center of them. I ducked under the huge group and offered to help Emily with the dishes.

Emily threw me a worried-frustrated look. Her ruined features were scowling even more so than usual. "No, no. I've got a handle on this," she said in a low voice.

Jacob craned his neck to see above the people surrounding him. "Er - Ness, we're gonna stratagize. You don't want to hear that stuff right?"

I shook my head. "You can go in the living room. Watch TV or something, kay?"

"Yeah, sure," I mumbled. I walked pass Emily into the living room.

It was tiny, but huge compared to the kitchen. It could just be that there was no overgrown teenagers making it caustrophobic.

I sat on the shag carpet, leaning against the bottom of the couch, picked up the remote and began to flip through channels. I stopped on a cheap-looking spanish sitcom. I attempted to focus on translating there words into French instead of listening to the conversation coming from the kitchen. I failed. Due to my nosiness, as usual.

"You no what? I'm usually good with this war and killing and such, but I am done!" Emily hissed under her breath in the dead silence. "I will not have my whole family be lossed for the sake of a monster spawn little girl that almost tore the pack apart omly a few years ago!"

"How the hell is this her fault?!" Jacob growled lowly. "Is it her fault the Vampire Mafia decided to put a target on her family? Is it her fault that they kidnapped her just to get a retaliation from the Cullens? Don't be an idiot Emily! She's a kid!"

"Watch your words, Jacob," Sam said flattly.

"You're willing to risk your entire family for the sake of that!?" Emily said harshly. It felt like someone had kicked me in the stomach. I bit my lip hard.

"She is part of our family, Em. You don't understand!" Quil said quietly. I knew that he was thinking about his little Claire, how he would do anything for her.

"How can you say that? You were designed to kill vampires! Not help them in their own troubles! It's their own fault their in this mess," Emily said in an cruel voice. I'd never heard her so harsh. It sounded like she was Leah... only worse, if that were even possible.

"I agree with Emily," a voice said, louder than the others. Paul. I knew it was Paul. Damn him! " Don't get me wrong - I'm eager to kill the leaches- but I've got a wife and kids to take care of."

"You guys are kidding, right? The Cullens are our friends," Seth said in a shakey, high voice.

"Shut up, Seth!" Leah said. "Stay out of it! It's not you're place to say!"

"So what if it's not? I'm fighting. It's the right thing to do."

"Enough!" Sam said in his obnoxios 'Alpha' voice. "We fight! Emily is overly anxious. No one needs to worry."

Everyone was silent. "She probably heard you!" Jaacob snarled.

Jacob was next to me after I blinked twice with hand on my shoulder, and his eyes searching mine.

"It's okay. We'll all be fine. Emily's just being..." he trailed off at a loss for words. "We'll all be fine," he repeated. "You'll see."

"I just wanna go back to Alaska," I whimpered into his shoulder, as he huged me tightly.

"I know, baby. I know."

~*~*~

I had never been so happy to see the frozen landscape of Juneau, Alaska. The wolves had flown home with us - they wanted to run, but Jake had insisted on them taking the flight back up. I had hardly slept at all. Emily's words were too true, too obvious. They rang in my hears and rested heavily on my heart. Was it my fault? Did we read the Volturi's actions wrong? Would I cause the deaths of dozens upon dozens of people? I quivered as I stepped off the plane, tripping a little. Paul caught my arm before I fell. I saw a look of regret cross his face. I could tell his helping me was reflexive... but Jake would've killed him if he'd tried anything.

I walked on to the platform carefully, to ensure that I didn't slip again.

It took minutes to get home. We ran to Denali instead of driving.

The wolves were greeted as they normally would've been - greeted as an annoyance. I would have been irritated that they had treated them rudely had I not been frustrated with the wolves earlier. I didn't want the wolves to be here, besides the choice few. If it were up to me I would tell them to do whatever the hell they wanted as long as they didn't get themselves killed. But, as you already know, it isn't up to me, nor will it ever be. Sam completely controlled them. What he says goes.

Dad was even more bitter than I was at this point. His expression mirrored mine. Our arms were both folded across our chests and a look of distace was visible on our similar features. It would of been funny if I hadn't been so pissed. The whole Cullen clan, along with the Denalis, were in a room with the majority wolf pack.

Dad pulled Sam aside for a second. "Look, I don't want any trouble, but if Emily is going to be hurtful toward my daughter than don't allow her to hear. I understand you can't control Emily's actions, but I won't have Renesmee feel more stressed than she is. I'm sure that watching everyone go to war but herself isn't exactly the ideal way to spend the remainder of her summer vacation," he said quietly, so the words were meant for Sam ears. I felt myself blush when Sam looked at me through tight eyes. I looked down at the carpet to avoid his gaze. Sam nodded at my father stiffly in response to Dad's tense words.

Dad began our meeting. "We wouldn't have called upon you unless it was absolutely nessecary. During the fight you have one job - protect Renesmee." I groaned excessively to interupt him.

"That's completely stupid! I'm -" but Dad had dashed over to me and covered my mouth with his hand. I glared up at him. He smiled a little. I swatted his cold hand away.

"As I was saying, she has a huge target on her forhead and the less expierienced fighters always go for the easy kill." Several cringed.

I grimaced. "Dad, there are nearly twenty of them! I just need Jake and that'll be fine." Jacob rolled his eyes. "Let the wolves fight. You know they want to, and that will do us better in the long run."

"The young one speaks wisely for her age," Sam said.

"Yeah, see Dad? The young one speaks wisely," I said in a very smart-mouthed voice.

Mom bit her lip. There was a small crease in between her eyes that showed up when she was worried. "I don't know, Edward. Don't you think all of them is a bit over the top. Compromise. Just Seth and Jacob will stay with her. You know you'll probably never be able to leave Ness's side anyways."

"Or your's," Dad said under his breath.

Mom suddenly looked at the clock that hung above the doorway. "Crap," she muttered. "Nessie, it is waaay past your bedtime." I looked up to the clock. It read 3:o4 in the morning.

"Mom, I am not tired, nor do I feel that I am in need of a bedtime considering my age," I said simply.

Dad laughed. "Seven isn't that old. Believe me. Bed. Now. I'll tell you about the rest of the meeting tomorow."

I groaned. "I am hardly seven years old," I said, but went up the two flights to my room anyway.

"'Night," I heard a few call after me.

"More like good morning," I said to myself as I changed into pajamas. 


	19. Time

Just wanted to say someone commented on the Cullen's obvious adversion to human food in a previous chapter. VAMPS THINK PEOPLE FOOD IS GROSS. That's it. I'm not trying to make eating sound bad or turn anyone anorexic or anything. Just wanted to say. I apologize if, a. you don't give a damn, or b. you don't know what I'm talking about. =) Sorry! I don't want to offend the reviewer either. I appreciate every review more than you know. Thanks and tell your friends about this story if you think they'll like it. I 'm also going to write a sequal to this story when I'm done. I already got the plot down. PM me if you want spoilers! Anyone want to help me out with titles?? Anything that has to do with the title theme. Thanks. Forever, Hailee 3(justagirl520)  
PS Don't forget to donate to Hati! My heart goes out to you! 3 Hope for Hati ~ text GIVE to 50555. C'mon is that such a hard number?

.  
1.5 Months Later

The last month or so was basically a repetition of these last few days- Practice fighting and powers, strategize, a few strangers joining "The Resistance", as we were being called now, and then we strategize again. Sure, we had our dramas every once and a while, but we tried our best to ingnore our occasional disputes with us Raidon, of Japan, and the wolves. It was essential that we stick together. The date Alice saw for us was set. July 22nd. The anxiety of how the day creeped closer every second was heavy on my shoulders. It was easier to focus on someone else's troubles; more specifically Michele's.

Michele's telekinsis wasn't exactley mastered. She had to be angry to get the best results. It wasn't hard to make her angry. I sat in the Denali's back porch with my knees pulled up to my chest. My elbows were on my knees and my hands held up my face. The Alaskan sky was just setting. Michele was with my mom and dad. jacob stood casually to the side, his hands tucked in his pockets. They were helping her practice, but she was very easily bacame frustrated with herself. Everyone else claimed to be busy or left suddenly to hunt. Our company wasn't oblivious to Michele's anger issues.

"Focus all your energy, all your hate, on lifting Bella," Dad said to her in a quiet calm tone. We felt Michele's power could give us a great advantage- and surprise against the Volturi.

"I'm ... trying," Michele replied through her teeth. Mom lifted a tiny bit into the air, before dropping to the snow covered ground. She landed on her side and gracefully pushing up on her arm and landing upward into a standing position.

"Piss me off!" Michele nearly shouted at Mom.

"Excuse me?"

"I said piss me off!"

"Just call her something nasty," Dad muttered in a half amused, half irritated voice.

Mom called Michele every bad word I knew, including a few I don't. I struggled to hold back my laughter. Dad glanced at me with his eyebrow raised. I pressed my lips in a tight line and pretended to lock my lips and throw away the key. Dad rolled his eyes and looked back over to Mom who still hadn't finished her explicit rant. The others must of responded to the profanity

Mom finally finished and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry!" she whispered in her chime-like voice.

Michele's eyes were blazing as she turned her palm up and jerked it upward. Simotaniously my mother flew up hundreds of feet in th air. Michele let her hand swing back to her side and yawned.

"That's enough for today, I suppose," she said with her French twang. She flipped her hair and walked past me and the audience with a smug smile on her pale features.

Michele turned around suddenly. "You might want to catch her... She'll be down in ... 3 ... 2 ... 1." Dad caught Mom at the exact moment Michele pursed her lips. She was trying to hide a smile. She strutted back into the Denali's home. I let my laughter bubble out. The others joined me hesitantly.

A few of the gifteds came out to the yard to practice projecting. Kate liked to help with that, so my parents left that job to her. Kate was the best... motivator. She definately knew how to rub people the wrong way. She was especially intrigued with Udo's mind control...

My stomach rumbled suddenly. I groaned as I waltzed into the kitchen to get human food. Jacob followed me in. Sometimes I feel a certain... need for regular food. It was disgusting, no doubt, but it filled me up longer than blood.

Everyone in the big house was tense. All except for Emmett and were perfectly at ease, flipping aimlessly through the channels on TV. An outsider would have thought we were a perfectly normal vampire family. The thought was unsettling, but silly at the same time. Were we being over confident? I shook the idea away. Rose is always over confident. I half-laughed internally.

"What are you thinking about?" Jacob asked suddenly. His eyes studdied my face.

"I was just- I was doubting our ability to win the fight," I admitted. There was no point in lying. I couldn't lie to save my life.

"You sure are Bella's kid."

My eyes were questioning as I peered up at his face.

"She used to talk like that. Every time there was a fight there was your mom, prepared with a never ending list of why we shouldn't fight," he justified. "Always doubting our abilities."

"You say that like you had a fight weekly," I said. My eyebrows pulled forward slightly.

"Yeah, pretty much every week," he laughed. "It was usually Bella's fault, too."

Just then Mom and Dad walked in the house, hand-in-hand. Mom let go of his hand and danced to Jacob's side.

"They were sooo not every week!" she said slappinghis shoulder with the back of her hand. Jake pretended to wince.

"It was always your fault, though," he said with a grin. Mom rolled her eyes. In a blink Dad was with here too.

"I take full blame for every fight that occured during Bella's humanity," he said in the same joking voice Mom and Jake had been using.

"Find share the blame. Doesn't matter anyways. The kid was curious." I laughed uncontrollably. It really wasn't that funny. Maybe it was that I hadn't been able to relax much, what with the house full of vampires.

Our company usually came and went as they pleased, so it wasn't completely crowded. They all promised they would be here for the fight and that was all that mattered to us.  
July 18th

Four more days. Our seemingly unending time was almost up. Alice's speech seemed to have been forever ago, but it rang in my ears like it had the first time I heard it. Where did the time go?

Grandma and Grandpa weren't home. They were making arrangements. I was afraid to ask what the arrangements were. Knowing them, they were planning for the worst case senario.

I sat on the couch with my feet pulled up toward me. The news was on, and alot of us - vampires and wolves - were watching.

"A Brazilian masacrre has been going on for weeks with no explanation. We have no leads on the group that is responsible, if it is a group at all. 1,542 dead to date," the male newscastor said expressionlessly. "The bodies are brutally bruised, but none of the bodies seem to have had bllood spilt from them... and each were some kind of scientist linked to or involved in the theroy that Neptune maybe liquid diamond. No word yet on what this could possibly mean. It is indeed a sad time in Brazil."

"We were just in Brazil," I said placing my hand to my cheek. My heartbeat accelerated. It was at faster pace than usual.

"I don't think it has anything to do with our kind," Charlotte muttered from behind me. "Wouldn't be a drop of blood left."

Garrett nodded. "Nothing to fear," he said, patting my head. I grimaced and ran my hand down the long lemgth of my hair.

"I doubt Neptune is really liquid diamond. That's very far fetched," Tanya said with a raised eyebrow.

"So are vampires," I muttered. 


	20. Preparations

July 20

Preparations. That's all we had left to do. Prepare ourselves for the battle that would either begin or end it all. For me anyways.

"But who's going to be in control if we do defeat them?" I asked my dad. We were in my temporary bedroom on the top floor of the house. I ran a brush through my thick bronze hair softly, getting ready for bed. Dad leaned against the door frame with his hands in his pockets.

"The Romanians will takeover, I suspect," he said, rolling his eyes. I threw him a quizzical look.

"That's the only reason they're helping, you know. That, and their own lives are in danger - they have no gifts. It would be suicidal to run."

"Oh," I said stupidly. "Were they good rulers, way back then?" I asked. The brush got caught in my hair on a knot. I pulled harder and hissed under my breath from the slight sting.

"I wouldn't know," Dad said chuckling as he came to help me get the brush out of my hair. He gently pulled the lock of hair out of the brush and placed it on the vanity in front of me. "It'd be better to ask your grandfather that. He might know more, but there's a likeliness that no one has that knowledge except for the Volturi and Romanians themselves, and they are the tinsiest bit biased. Everyone else from that age has perished."

"Ah." My eyebrows rose slightly. Dad turned to duck out of the room.

"Where are you going?" I demanded.

"To find your mother,' he said ducking his head back in.

"Why? Where is she?"

"Hunting with Tanya." He laughed once.

"Did I miss the joke?"

"No ... Your mom just... used to be put-out by Tanya, I guess you could say." I frowned.

"They seem to be friends now," I said.

"Yes. Well, we need to set up for Wednesday. That's what I'm getting Bella for."

"Kay."

"Everyone'll be outside. You can come out later if you aren't too tired."

"Okaaay."

"'Night."

"G'night."

I flipped through the fat english copy of 'The war at Troy.' Greek history and mythology - my latest obsession. Silly as it may seem, I found the Trojan War was much alike the one that was on the horizon. Terrible odds against the side I wanted to win. I laughed in ill humor to my self.

The Greeks were victorious against the Trojans... Will we be?

*~*~*

I quickly became bored with the ancient dialogue. I snapped the book shut and placed it on the shelf . I sighed and skipped to the closet. I snatched Alice's coat from the hanger and shrugged into it. I tossed my hair out of the collar before running down the three flights of stairs and getting out to the mountain side that was just past the forest in the Denali's backyard.

Jaocb lifted a hand in greeting. At the same moment my jaw dropped. This was the same area that we had had the soccer game, yet it was unrecognizable. There was a line of huge boulders that came from who knows where. This mountain pass was extremely narrow, for a war of this size.

I bit my lip. My mind automatically went to the Persian War. The Greeks lured the Persians into an extremely narrow pass and surrounded them. Alaxander the Great used the method because they were outnumbered...

"No," Dad said in response to my thoughts. "We aren't outnumbered." His voice was overly confident. It made his words sound like a lie. Too pursuasive. Too sure...

I wasn't faliing for it.

I expected him to coment on the disbelief in my thoughts, but he said nothing.

"What are thee - uh," I said, trailing off pointing to the rocks.

"For Michele," he replied with a deviant smile. I grimaced. I could almost see Michele hurling a boulder at little Jane. I could also imagine how angry she would get. I shuddered. I squeezed my eyes shut.

We heard someone shout "Whoops!" from as far a distance away.

"Your buying us a new garage door, Emmett," I heard Eleazar sigh. I smirked, but disregarded the mini-dispute.

"Your brther's an idiot," Michele murmered to my parents.

"Very true."

"I'm going to go get the - more of the rocks - and stuff," Michele stuttered in her lovely heavily accented toungue. She eyed me meaningfully and jerked her head toward the woods.

"What?" I asked, oblivious to what she was doing.

"Maybe you'd like to help me?"

"No, actually, I was going to-"

Michele rolled her eyes, let out a loud breath of air, and grabbed my hand and took off. Michele stopped when we were out of ear-shot.

"Oooooh. What do need to talk to me about?"

"Nothing. Your parents need to talk to Jacob alone."

"Why?" I said. My eyebrows scrunched together.

"Just in the unlikely case of your parents' deaths during the fight. They need to know for sure Jacob can handle you."

"Oh." In that single syllable my voice cracked.

"It'll all be fine," she replied to my anxious expression, but she sounded half-hearted. She turned to walk deeper into the white forest. I grabbed her shoulder and she spun back to face me.

"What do you mean, 'handle me?'" I asked.

Michele's face spread slowly into a smile. Although she did not reply, she put her arm over my shoulder, and squeezed it, as we turned around to continue to walk into the woods.

July 21 Was it really tommorrow? It would seem to be so. The snow was coming down harder than I'd ever seen before.

"They'll get here around four," Alice muttered. Every one of us were huddled around her tiny self.

"Four in the afternoon?" I asked hopefully.

Alice made a distastful face. She opened her eyes to look at me. I frowned when I saw the purple bruises underneath them.

"Four in the morning," she corrected.

I groaned. I did NOT want to be awake at that time of day.

"There will be an aurora directly above the field. It should make it easier for you to see," Alice said turning to the wolves. Paul snorted.

"We are not blind," he scoffed.

"I care imensley," Alice said in a sarcastic tone. Paul looked at the ceiling and repeated her words mockingly in an extremely high tone.

I was the only one who was laughing. I came to that relization and my laugh faded out.

"So," Uncle Jasper said loudly, getting everyone's attention. "Our formation is going to be circular, each of us will be in a line that curves up and around the mountain side facing the opposite side in which the Volturi will make their entry.

"They should fill the circular formation reflexively," Alice continued. Her finger was placed over her chin thoughtfully. "We will close in on them after that. If Aro decides to speak, so be it, but don't be pulled in by his pretty words. That is all they are. Pretty words."

"Behind the circulara line, will be Bella, Zafrina, Eleazar, and Michele. Bella needs to protect our offence," Garrett went on. "The wolves, well, we don't know how you work with each other, so we'll leave that to you."

"Jacob, you'll be with Renesmee, slightly hidden by the trees. You'll be in your wolf form, obviously," Dad said. Jacob nodded once.

"I am sorry," Grandfather said suddenly. His eyes were imbearably sad. "You can backout now, if you wish. No one will judge you for it, I assure you." Not a single person came forward.

"It's settled then," Jasper said triumphantly.

"Let's go kick some -"

"Emmett!" Mom interupted before he could get out his superlative. I giggled again.

"God, help us all," Kate muttered. 


	21. Deja Vu

Ladies and gentalmen! (More likely ladies, but you know...) Now for what you've all been waiting for!!!!! Or atleast I hope you've been waiting for... Oh, you haven't been waiting for it? You're just bored and need to read something Twilight-y cus you're mom took away your Twilight books because you were "too obsessed." ... Yeah that happened to me too. Just steal them back; that's what I did. But you gotta read this anyway!!! This IS NOT the last chapter, but the fight gets started here. =O Thanks for your support! You guys are EPIC!!! Sorry about the spazmatic author's note=) I feel spazzy...

Love Always,  
Hailee .  
Wednesday, July 22 2015 (or in more simple terms, the day of the fight)

Mom, Dad, Jake, and I were overlooking the 'playing field', as my less mature uncle referred to as, only hours before the fight would begin. I sat on the cliff side with my feet dangling over and my parents and Jacob stood behind me.

"This is it?" Jake asked my Dad, obviously unimpressed by the boulder strewn field.

Dad rolled his eyes. "Yes. What did you expect? Tanks?"

"Actually, a few tanks would be nice... Larger ones would be nice. Ness could opperate them."

"Sure, sure," I muttered. I shook my head slightly. Ah, Jake...

"No really! It would distract 'em!"

"Alright, Jake. Give it a rest... Ness, careful!" Mom groaned as I began to swing my legs and lean forard slightly. She reached for my shoulder and steadied it with her stone hand. I looked up at her concerned face.

I rolled my eyes and sighed loudly. I leaned all my weight on my fingers and flung myself forward off the cliff; easily a two hundred foot drop. I slipped through the air silently, letting my hands and arms stretch to my sides, slowing my fall. I landed on my feet in three seconds. I stumbled forward slightly, but caught myself and pushed back upward.

I grinned up inocently at my frazzled-looking mother. (I could hardly see her, espeially with the snow, but even a human could see from where I stood that she was indeed frazzled.) She thought I was so breakable! She needed to be reminded of my abilities.

I could hear Dad and Jake's laughter from down here.

I smiled, pleased that I had lightened the tense mood.

*~*~*

It was already one in the morning. Each and everyone of us were at the field. All of the leaders of the covens (Yes, Sam, too) were huddled together, trying to keep their members organized. Ben, Mom, and Michele stood away from us all. Zafrina would have been with them, but she was helping with the organizing. Mom's stance was casual. Her arms were crossed over her thin North Face jacket and she leaned a little on her right foot. Jacob was silent next to me. We sat on the snow covered ground now. The others plotted in quiet, exciteed was an aura of cautious cockiness that hung thickly in the air.

"You cold?" Jake asked suddenly.

"'Course not... Why? Are you?"

"Not at all."

"Well, then considering I'm hotter than you that was a silly question to ask." I blushed suddenly in relization of the silly way my words sounded. Like I said, Jake was like an overbearing older brother.

"I meant my body temperature," I mumbled. To my surprise, Jacob laughed.

"I know, Nessie. I know."

Inside my pocket I held fast to the snake-like diamond necklace. I hve no explanation for my actions. It felt like it woud be good luck. Mom did where it the last time...

*~*~*

It is three fifty-two. I am almost shaking in anticipation.

Jacob and I were further behind the army, as was explained to us before, slightly hidden by the white trees. Jacob was in his wolf form and his warm, fury body was in a curled up position that you usually see dogs sleeping in. I sat in between where his front paws were and his stomach. I was begining to drift asleep in the huge mound of fur. My fingers twisted into the red brown fur and I momentarily became unconsious...

It is an odd thing, deja vu. Before the moment I awoke I had thought the phenomenon was fueled by over active imaginations and human paronoia. You'll see what I mean later...

In the dream, the dream I had that lasted but thirty seconds, was that I was staring up at the sky, at a shimmering blue aurora boriealis. The aurora was indeed blue, but had a twist of lime in it as well. When I looked ahead of me, I saw them. The looked like a crashing black wave as the decended the mountain. It was horrifying to see the number of vampires they had brought with them.

I could see the headlines now, advertising for the torists in Alaska; 'Denali National Park, where nightmares become a reality.' My dark sense of humor surprised me even in unconciousness.

My eyes snapped open; Jake's low growl woke me up. I shot up fluidly. Jacob was already standing as well. Before me was our army, our resistance.

It was the most significant simbal of unity I'd ever seen. They stood in a formation alike the one previously described to the lot of us. Except each of them held each others hands. Some had looks of hope, some joy, some confusion, some undecision. That last emotion caught me off guard: undesision.  
Was that what Alice had meant? Were thoughs the ones who would run away?

I suddenly caught my mother's wary eyes. She smiled at me weekly. I made a move to go to her, but she mouthed "Stay put." I abided. The meek smile was still n her face. Dad was next to her, of course. He smiled at her reassuringly.

He thre a worried look at me, but avoided my eyes.

That's when the deja vu occured.

Just as I had seen before, a wave of black - impossibly dark against the white mountain, that shined even here in the dark, stary abiss of empty sky- crashing down to where the land leveled out.

Alaxander's military tactics worked perfectly; the Volturi were falling into our half circle formation instintively. I looked up to the aurora that was slowly forming overhead. Exactley as I had saw it minutes before, there was the blue intertwined with green. Was this how Alice felt when she lived her visions?

I shivered in anticipation. Adrenaline pumped thinley in my vains. It wasn't that I was scared for myself; I was terrified for the others.

I had never felt any emotion stronger than the hate I had for the Volturi as I did now. ... So what was it that made me feel attached to them so long ago. The question seems silly now. It was Chelsea, of course. She who can manipulate every emotion you have for someone.

She made me think of them as kin. The thought still sickens me.

During the time these thoughts invaded my mind the black wave crept closer. I blinked several times. I half expected them to vanish like the nightmare had when I woke up.

Wake up, Ness! I thought, for I knew that in this war, which was nothing but cruel reality, lives would be lost. Too many lives.

The formation slowed. I could see their faces now. All were emotionless.

The wave came to a hault about a half of a football field away from us.

"Why am I not sursprised?" Aro asked sadley. His eyes were a flat black.

I could not see my grandfather's face, but he was the one to reply.

"Aro, what do you epect we do? Wait while you pick off the other covens?" he said softly.

"Carlisle, my friend, what ever do you mean?" Aro replied. He tried to make his face look inocent, but even from here I could see the lies in his eyes. "I have no intent on anything of sorts in my mind. It is you who have proposed the war."

"Of course it was!" Mom snarled sarcasticallly. "Do you think we believe your facade? It is insulting by far that you think us so dumb, Aro!" she hissed.

"He lies!" little Maggie shouted. Her finger stabbed at the direction Aro was in. "It is making my head hurt, they are such lies!"

Aro put his hand over his heart. He looked shocked, no, apalled at Maggie's accusation.

"I am sorry you believe that. I apologize, truley, I do," Aro said again, sadley.

Aro clicked his toungue three times. "This is so wasteful." the ancient man's eyes suddenly brightened. "But of course it doesn't need to be. Those of you with gifts may join if you wish, especially you and your young mate Ben." Ben winced. He balled his fists up and glanced toward Michele, whose gift was oblivious to the Volturi.

"If this does break into a fight our side will win. It is always better to play for the winning team." Aro smiled darkley. I had just realized Marcus was standing to the left him, frowning and rolling his eyes every so often. To the right was Caius's glare; full of hate, as always. Behind them slightly were Alec and Jane- their faces showed a different emotion. An emotion of annoyance.

My heart faltered as I saw some walk forward to join Aro. It was five of the strangers I had not spoken to. I was glad I did not know them.

Aro clapped his hands. "Mary Sarah! Caylee! Please get our information from our newcomers. I need to know where they'll be useful." Two beautiful women stepped forward. The first was blonde with wild curls surrounding her rennisance-esque face. The second had brown straight hair, only shoulder length. Her eyes were softly shapen and looked sweet, even with the red tints in them.

The blonde girl waved the five strangers over. Her whispers were inaudible to me.

"...Because they do not know the truth, perhaps you should see what they do in fact know, my brother," Caius said darkly. He craned his neck over our defensive line and leered in my direction.

"Good thinking, my dear Caius," Aro replied in his whispery voice. He tilted his head, causing his crow black hair to fall to the side. "Any takers?" he hissed in a light joking voice.

I furrowed my eyebrows. What is going on?

Aro's eyes were wide as he skimmed over the line. No one came forward.

Aro looked behind the line to me, much like Caius had before him. I hid my face in Jacob's fur.

"Ah, Renesmee! I have missed you! Surely you wil be willing to show me-"

"She will show you nothing!" my father shouted.

Aro sighed. He mashed his powdery lips into a fine line. "Are you sure then? We will not bargin forever."

No one replied.

Aro closed his eyes an whipped around to face his warriors. "You may attack," he sighed.

My head jerked up from the slouch I had it in. My eyes widened in terror. Our line had released each others hands and put them in front of themselves.

Snarls and growls tore threw the frost bitten air. And then the groups collided.

........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

OOOh, sorry bout that... Don't ya hate clifhangers ;D I know I do! Sorry it took so long to wright this one it still seems off to me so I'll probably get my amazing editor to help me. She'll be pissed that I'm putting this up before letting her see...

OH WELL! (sorry shell!) 


	22. Darius III

So sorry you had to wait so long!!! I'm really sorry and this isn't even that long! I better step it up! Lol.

Love Ya,  
Hailee PS You must review! tell me if you want more or this is it and I'll completely close my story here!!!

........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

My eyes raked the field for my parents, but I could not find them. Everyone was already fighting in pairs, and their movements were so quick I could only see the blurs of color. This told me who was on our side; the volturi's cloaks were always a shade of gray.

Suddenly I was being thrown back into the woods. I tried to scream, but the wind had been completely knocked from my body. I landed twnty yards from where I'd been standing. I stood up quickly, but still dazed, and brushed the snow from my jeans. Jacob stood infront of me defensively. He was parallel to me, his head low. His hackles stood up and his white teeth were showing menacingly.

Who had tried to attack me?

I struggled to see the field now. My mother was in the middle of it all. Her eyes were closed her hands outstreched above her like she was singing a hymn. I could see little sign of straign in her face. Sena was infront of her protectively. She was fighting one of the Ann. I felt a twinge of hurt that I tried to ignore. Foolishly, I had thought she would leave the Volturi after she understood what they were doing.

Annunziata looked at me for a split second. There was the smallest trace of apology in her large red eyes. In the second Ann looked away from her fight, Sena had tore her head off. I gagged.

Fires were already everywhere. There had to be around twenty of them. Sena disposed of Ann's body in one of the already existing fires.

Who was winning, you ask? Like I have the slightest clue.

Michele stood next to my mother, on her left side. She seemed to be having fun creating havic. Because of her, random things were constantly being tossed into the air. Including trees.

One nearly hit me and Jake, but we had managed to dodge it.

I suddenly caught sight of Jane and Kate going at it. Jane seemed to have the upperhand as they circled each other. Every few seconds Kate would cross the circle, interupt the dance to attack. Kate was cringing in pain every few seconds.

Kate shook suddenly. Her fingers curled and she lifted her head to the sky. Jane's expression was as confused as my own.

Just then I felt a huge amount of electric shock hit my body. I knew the sensation; Kate's shock felt the same way but this pain was one thousand times worse. I buckled to my knees. I looked up to see that everyone was doing the samething, all except for Kate. She was beeming, but still looking up.

I looked up as well, after noticing the light the aurora had shown was dimming.

The beautiful sparkling aurora's particles were scattering, like an explsion from a firework. The particles of an aurora are electrically charged, but Kate's projection had been so much more charged it had made the particles fly away from each other. Though I still felt the pain I smiled. It was more beautiful than it was before. The aurora was now like multiple giant mishapen green and blue stars.

I didn't know anything could be so beautiful amongst something as ugly as war.

The painful shock ended suddenly. All eyes were on Kate... until realization struck. The war was not over and we were still fighting. The others went back to their intricate fights. Kate now had the upperhand. She could fight and use her power simoultamiously, while Jane wasn't trained to fight physically; or fairly, if you saw it my way.

That Jane was distraught was obvious. Jane abandoned the fight. She was a coward and she fled. Just as Alice had fortold. Kate snarled, but didn't persue her. She knew she was needed here.

Okay so... Mom was there, so where was Dad?

I bit my lip and searched the crowd of pairs for him. I felt like a child looking for a parent in a crowded grocerey store. It was devistating.

The wind blew at my face randomly and the sweet stentch of the flames hit me. I cringed and wrinkled my nose.

I looked up to see Jacob do the same. I randomly found one of the giant wolves, as if I would need to find them, in distress. He (it wasn't Leah, so it was definitely a 'he') was surrounded by a few of the Volturi.

He needed help. Jacob was staring in the same direction as I was, at the young wolf. Colin.

"Go," I whispered to Jake. Colin whimpered and tried to get away from the two vampires that were his attackers. One of the two kicked him, hard, in the shoulder. Colin howled.

"Go!" I shrieked shoving Jacob. He no longer protested and bounded toward the attackers. Jake skided to a hault and let out a huge growl that terrified even me.

I couldn't bare to wtach Colin and Jake fight anymore so I turned my head to the opposite side of the field. I slid behind a tree t be less noticeabe. My mother had made a point to dress me completely in white, for even here at night, the snow still shown its color most.

I heard rustling behind me. I tore my eyes from the fight to peek behind where I kneeled.

I tried to scream, but he had caught my jaw in one hand and placed his leather gloved hand over my mouth. Caius.

I managed to pull my face up enough to bite his hand hard enough that I felt the matierial rip between my teeth. I bit his hand, too. Did I want to bite the ancient? No. Blech, I don't know where he's been! But was it nessecary? Absolutely.

Caius made a noise of disgust and let go of my mouth to push me to the ground. Aro then came to his side folllowed by Marcus and Athendora and Sulpicia.

Crap. I'm screwed.

Jake bounded back over to me. He knocked Marcus and the wives, who stood on on side, twenty feet into the midst of the fight. I could've laughed. But I didn't.

I pushed myself up into a standing position.

Jacob, being ever so careful used his teeth to put me on his back by the hood of my coat.

I gasped in surprise of being thrown up so high. I gragged the fur at the nape of his neck and held fast to it.

I threw a quick look over my shoulder to see the clearing.... It was almost empty now. Fires scattered the ground, but it looked like we were winning, most I hoped had fled.

My father, mother, and uncles, flashed over to us and began to fight with the people surrounding Jake and me. Jacob reared up on his hind legs like a horse. I clug even tighter to him and squeezed my eyes shut. I heard the sound of peeling metal - the tearing of vampire skin.

I kept my eyes shut. When I opened them I saw two; Marcus and Aro were about to engage in the fight the others had lost. They faught side by side, until Aros eyes widend. He stopped and ran - faster than I've ever seen Aro run - to the mountains.

They had already kiled Marcus... and their wives. And Aro was a coward. A great leader but a coward. And thats what wins a war. The leader leaving his army - or what was left of it - signified our victory.

Aro is remebered as a coward. Just another Darius III to go down in history.

There was a short silence... and then a burst of cheering and laughter. I joined merrily.

*~*~*  
The celebration was huge. We danced and raced and jumped. Kate's new found powers pleased her so much that her sarcastic outlook had almost completely changed. We had suffered extremely minor blows. It was surprising how minor actually. Hardly anyone I knew first hand had been killed. The Romaninans went back to their home and reclaimed their... throne? I know that's not a perfect term, but you know what I mean. Tanya and a nomad I hadn't gotten to know - Mark , I believe - were hitting it off. I mean really hitting it off. I was glad Tanya had found someone.

Things went back to normal over the next few months. Back to the rutine. School, aging, hunting, moving, school, aging, hunting moving. Not in that order obviously, but still quite boring in comparison to the story I just told.

One thing stays with me though. Aro called me bright. Of course it did not mean I was smart, or that I was literally bright as a light is. He was speaking of a nother meaning. One that meant of glory and happiness. My family is the only thing I could think of when I remember this. They make me happy, keep me hanging on, even when I'm on the edge and my fingers are slipping from reality, from myself. My whole self.

Blood is truly thicker than water, the Volturi, obviously, being the water. A wise man once said, "It is not the flesh and blood, but the heart that makes us fathers and sons. "

And we all sorta kinda lived happily ever after.

the end

*~*~*  
Love it? Hate it? Let me know! REVIEW!! This was my first story, so it was much more random than the ones I'm planning.

So remember on the news a few chapters back, the killing in Brazil? I was forshadowing. Do you remember in BD when Aro said humans could possibly defeat vamps whith their technology? Guess what? They will 200 years later. Renesmee's POV probably. I might out that one on hold though.

Another I might do is an Alice story abut her past in her one human POV.

The third I'm thinking of is a Jane and Alec story about their human life until they became vampires.

The fourth is a fluff story about Renesmee's school life,

Which do I do? You choose!!

PS If you think I should puit more into this story let me know. It's been a crazy ride, but it's over.

Peace out Girl Scout!  
Hailee 


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